People v. Robles

180 Misc. 2d 512, 691 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 162
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedFebruary 17, 1999
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 180 Misc. 2d 512 (People v. Robles) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Criminal Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Robles, 180 Misc. 2d 512, 691 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 162 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Ethan Greenberg, J.

A defendant is arrested for driving while intoxicated. He is not given Miranda warnings. He is given inadequate “refusal” warnings in connection with a request by the police that defendant consent to submit to a chemical “breathalyzer” test for the presence of alcohol in his system. Defendant (who is being videotaped) answers the inadequate refusal warnings by making several nonresponsive but incriminatory remarks in what appears to be a mildly drunken fashion. All concerned agree that evidence of the defendant’s refusal to take the chemical test is barred at trial by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1194 (2) (f) because of the inadequate refusal warnings. The open question presented is this: Can the People nevertheless properly present select portions of the videotape at trial in order to prove defendant’s intoxication, provided that the videotape is redacted so as to eliminate those passages that indicate that [514]*514defendant was asked and refused to submit to the chemical test? Or would the presentation of the redacted videotape at trial violate either (1) the statutory bar against evidence of refusal established by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1194 (2) (f), or (2) defendant’s right against self-incrimination?

This question is presented by the case of Rafael Robles and it appears to be a question of first impression. Much like the issue presented in the recent case of People v Berg (92 NY2d 701, 702 [1999]), the question presented here “centers on the intersection of two important interests: the prosecution of drunk drivers, and the constitutional privilege against self-incrimination.” For the reasons set forth herein, this court finds that the People may present a properly redacted version of the videotape at trial.

I. the Statutory scheme

It is now well settled that where a defendant has been properly arrested based on probable cause for the crime of driving while intoxicated, the police may ask the defendant to consent to submit to a chemical test for the presence of alcohol in the defendant’s system, and the defendant has no constitutional right to refuse. This is so because a chemical test does not require defendant to provide evidence of a testimonial or communicative character and therefore does not implicate defendant’s right against self-incrimination. (See, Schmerber v California, 384 US 757 [1966]; People v Thomas, 46 NY2d 100 [1978], appeal dismissed 444 US 891 [1979]; People v Rosario, 136 Misc 2d 445 [Crim Ct, Bronx County 1987].)

New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law sets up a statutory scheme whereby a defendant who has been arrested for driving while intoxicated will not be forced to take a chemical test for alcohol but will face certain adverse consequences if he refuses to take such a test. Section 1194 (2) (b) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law requires in substance that a defendant who has been arrested on a charge of drunken driving shall be advised that his (or her) driver’s license will be suspended for refusal to take a chemical test whether or not the defendant is subsequently found guilty of the criminal charge. If the defendant nevertheless refuses to take the chemical test, section 1194 provides that the test shall not be given but that the police shall immediately prepare a written report of the defendant’s refusal. Upon arraignment on the criminal charge of driving while intoxicated, the defendant’s license will be suspended by the court pending further administrative proceedings regard[515]*515ing the suspension before the Department of Motor Vehicles. (See generally, Gerstenzang, Handling the DWI Case in New York § 41.1 [1998-1999 ed].)

Section 1194 (2) (f) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law further provides that evidence of the defendant’s refusal to submit to a chemical test shall be admissible at the defendant’s trial on the criminal charge of driving while intoxicated, but only upon a showing by the People that the defendant persisted in refusing to take the test after being given sufficient warning in clear and unequivocal language1 of the effect of such refusal. Specifically, section 1194 (2) (f) provides: “Evidence of a refusal to submit to such chemical test or any portion thereof shall be admissible in any trial, proceeding or hearing based upon a violation of the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this article but only upon a showing that the person was given sufficient warning, in clear and unequivocal language, of the effect of such refusal and that the person persisted in the refusal.”

The Vehicle and Traffic Law permits evidence of defendant’s refusal to be admitted at trial on the theory that such a refusal evinces the defendant’s consciousness of guilt. (See, People v Ferrara, 158 Misc 2d 671 [Crim Ct, Richmond County 1993].) It has become common practice for defendants to request and for the courts to conduct pretrial hearings on the issue of the admissibility of a defendant’s refusal to consent to a chemical test. (See, People v Cruz, 134 Misc 2d 115 [Crim Ct, NY County 1986] [defendant entitled to pretrial hearing regarding admissibility of test refusal].) At such a hearing, pursuant to Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1194 (2) (f), the People must show that proper “refusal” warnings — warnings that advise the defendant of the [516]*516adverse consequences that will follow a refusal to take the chemical test — were given and that defendant then refused to take the test. These hearings have presented a variety of issues, such as whether complete warnings were given (see, e.g., People v Pagan, 165 Misc 2d 255 [Crim Ct, Queens County 1995]), and whether the translation of the warnings for a non-English-speaking defendant was adequate (see, e.g., People v Niedzwiecki, 127 Misc 2d 919 [Crim Ct, Queens County 1985]). Where the People do not prove that sufficient warnings were given, evidence of defendant’s refusal is not permitted at trial. (See, e.g., People v Boone, 71 AD2d 859 [2d Dept 1979].)

II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Defendant Rafael Robles was arrested on or about January 14, 1998 and was charged with violations of Penal Law § 230.03 (patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor) and Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 (3) (operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, also a misdemeanor).

Defendant refused to submit to a chemical test and upon arraignment his license was duly suspended. Defendant moved by notice of motion dated April 6, 1998 for an order suppressing any statements made by the defendant and any evidence of his refiisal. A hearing was ordered. The hearing was conducted before this court on October 27 and 28 of 1998. At the outset of the hearing the specific nature of defendant’s application was clarified. Defendant moved on two grounds to suppress evidence of the statements that were made by him on videotape at the time he was given refusal warnings. First, defendant asserted that he was arrested without probable cause and that his videotaped statements should therefore be suppressed as the fruit of his illegal arrest pursuant to Dunaway v New York (442 US 200 [1979]) and its progeny. Second, defendant asserted that the same videotaped statements should also be suppressed pursuant to Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1194 (2) (f) as evidence of a refusal to consent to a chemical test that was made only after inadequate refusal warnings were given.

Defendant’s Arrest

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
180 Misc. 2d 512, 691 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-robles-nycrimct-1999.