People v. Persons

181 Misc. 2d 189, 695 N.Y.S.2d 248, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 286
CourtNew York County Courts
DecidedJune 18, 1999
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 181 Misc. 2d 189 (People v. Persons) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York County Courts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Persons, 181 Misc. 2d 189, 695 N.Y.S.2d 248, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 286 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Donald P. DeRiggi, J.

FINDINGS OF FACT

On December 9, 1998, Police Officer Noel Clifford of the Nassau County Police Department went to 350 Uniondale Avenue, Uniondale, New York, with Probation Officer John Cleva and Police Officer George Hoeler. Probation Officer Cleva was going to execute an arrest warrant for violation of probation on the person of Dean Persons and the two police officers were there [191]*191to assist him. 350 Uniondale Avenue is a building which consists of a manufacturing entity on the ground floor and a residential unit on the second floor.

John Cleva had been a member of the Nassau County Probation Department for 28 years and was assigned the task of executing the arrest warrant pertaining to the defendant. Before embarking on the task, he spoke to the defendant’s probation officer, Arlene Perry, who told him that she had violated the defendant because of positive traces of cocaine in his urine tests. She told Mr. Cleva that she believed the defendant was heavily involved with drugs and that he had refused to get drug treatment as she had directed, him to do and thereafter he stopped reporting to probation.

The defendant, upon being placed on probation on March 28, 1997, signed a condition form which includes a term to the effect that he was agreeing to a search of his person and his residence by a probation officer. The defendant’s conviction was for driving while intoxicated. A document was received into evidence as a business record indicating that the defendant was given a copy of the conditions of probation on April 17, 1997 and that those conditions were read and explained to him.

As Probation Officer Cleva and Police Officer Hoeler and Police Officer Clifford approached 350 Uniondale Avenue, Union-dale, they saw the defendant standing outside of the entrance doorway. They made a U-turn and saw the defendant enter the building. The officers exited their vehicle and opened the outside door to the premises. The defendant was on the other side of the doorway and he was asked if he was Dean Persons. He responded in the affirmative whereupon he was told that he was under arrest for violating probation. He was promptly searched and a crack pipe was found in one of his pockets.

The defendant, following his arrest, was handcuffed and placed into the police vehicle. Thereafter, Probation Officer Cleva and Police Officer Clifford went up the stairs to the second floor and there observed an apartment with its door open. Probation Officer Cleva knocked on the door and saw a male in one of the interior rooms. Officer Cleva entered the apartment and asked this individual if Dean Persons lived there. The individual, Mr. Gressa, responded that it was his apartment and that he rented a bedroom to Mr. Persons. He pointed to the bedroom on the left and the officers proceeded toward that room. The apartment consists of a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom on the left side and a living room and bedroom on the right side. Upon nearing the bedroom they [192]*192observed a woman seated on a bed inside the room. She identified herself as Cathy Shea. She was asked if the defendant lived there and she responded that he did. Officer Cleva entered the room and told her that he was a probation officer, that he had just arrested the defendant and that the conditions of the defendant’s probation authorized him to search the defendant’s residence. Ms. Shea responded, “alright, go ahead”. The room was then searched and various drugs and drug paraphernalia were found. Some of these items were in “open view” on the floor, bed, bookcase and on a tray. Ms. Shea said that she did not know anything about the items and that they should ask Mr. Persons about them. She was then arrested.

Detective Carl Re of the first squad interviewed the defendant on December 9, 1998 beginning at about 10:00 p.m. The defendant was read his Miranda rights and stated that he understood them and he agreed to speak to the detective without the benefit of an attorney. The defendant was not threatened, coerced and no promises were made to him, according to Detective Re.

The defendant stated that on that date, December 9, 1998, he resided at 350 Uniondale Avenue, Uniondale, New York, and that soon after he left his apartment and went downstairs, he was arrested by several police officers. He stated that the contraband in the apartment belonged to him and that his wife Cathy was not responsible for it.

Detective Re was informed that the defendant was arrested on a violation of probation warrant and that when he was initially searched, a crack pipe was found on his being.

The defendant was given his Miranda warnings at about 10:20 p.m. Detective Re thereafter told him that both he and Cathy Shea would be arrested unless one admitted ownership. The defendant replied that the contraband was his and that Ms. Shea was not involved. Cathy Shea was released after the defendant signed his statement.

While the defendant had told Detective Re that he was a crack user, the defendant appeared to respond appropriately to all the questions from the detective. He appeared normal, spoke coherently and did not exhibit any signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The People introduced a certified copy of the minutes of sentence of March 28, 1997 and a certified copy of the conditions of probation of that date.

The defendant called Christina Yannucci, a Legal Aid attorney, as his witness. She testified that Legal Aid was as[193]*193signed to represent the defendant in December of 1996 when he was charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Ms. Yannucci did not represent the defendant at the sentencing of March 28, 1997 when he was placed on probation and fined. She did state that the defendant failed to pay his fine and a warrant was issued for his arrest and that Legal Aid did represent him when he was returned to court. When the defendant was again arrested on December 9, 1998 and charged with violation of probation and for violating the drug possession laws (the current charges) Legal Aid represented him at the arraignment. The case was later sent to a Legal Aid part for conference. Legal Aid did not put in a new notice of appearance for the defendant on the violation of probation and there is no record of them being assigned by the Judge to represent the defendant either on those charges or on the new charges. Mr. Galison later submitted a notice of appearance for the defendant.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Coercion

When the police entered the defendant’s apartment, Cathy Shea was seated on a bed. The police proceeded to search the room and found drugs and other contraband, on the floor, on the bed, on a bookcase and on an exposed tray. The defendant later admitted to ownership.

The defendant argues that the police officer’s statement to him, that both he and Ms. Shea would be charged with drug possession unless he admitted ownership, amounted to undue coercion and thereby rendered his statement involuntary.

Where the basis for the police officer’s statement to a defendant is a valid and justifiable one, the defendant’s subsequent admission is not deemed to be involuntary. In People v Glasper (160 AD2d 723 [2d Dept 1990]), the police correctly told the defendant that his version of the events was in conflict with another witness and in People v Vila

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Related

Matter of Y.E.B.
2006 NY Slip Op 52297(U) (Nassau Family Court, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
181 Misc. 2d 189, 695 N.Y.S.2d 248, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 286, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-persons-nycountyct-1999.