People v. Scannell

16 N.Y. Crim. 321, 37 Misc. 345, 75 N.Y.S. 500
CourtNew York Court of General Session of the Peace
DecidedFebruary 15, 1902
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 16 N.Y. Crim. 321 (People v. Scannell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of General Session of the Peace primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Scannell, 16 N.Y. Crim. 321, 37 Misc. 345, 75 N.Y.S. 500 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1902).

Opinion

Goff, R.

On November 22, 1901, the grand jury presented an indictment for conspiracy against the defendants, Scannell and Marks, and two indictments against the defendant Scannel for neglect of duty. Each of these indictments charged a misdemeanor. Subsequently, on being arraigned for pleading, the defendants interposed a plea in abatement on grounds included in the present motion. This plea was overruled. Then the defendants moved to quash and set aside the indictments on the [323]*323following grounds: First, that the grand jury was not a constitutional- or a legally constituted grand jury, in that two of its members were not residents of the county of ¡New York; secondly, that the indictments are void because a member of the grand jury who was not a resident of the county was present and participated in the proceedings; thirdly, that the indictments were not found, indorsed and presented as required by section 268 and 272 of the Criminal Code; fourthly, that a member of the grand jury who was not a resident of the county was permitted to be present at the sessions of the grand jury while the charges embraced in the indictment were under consideration, in violation of sections 262, 263, 264 of the Code; fifthly, that the evidence submitted to the grand jury did not warrant the findings of the indictments; and, sixthly, that incompetent and illegal testimony was introduced before the grand jury. And they further move that the court institute an inquiry to ascertain and determine the places of residence of the two members of the grand jury referred to, and for that purpose to subpoena them and such other persons as may be competent to testify on the matters in question. The third ground is based upon the contention that because there were two nonresidents of the county impaneled the grand jury was an illegal )ody, and, therefore, a legal indictment was not “ found ” nor ¡oncurred in by twelve grand jurors, nor indorsed “ a true bill,” ior signed by the foreman. That all these requirements were brmally complied with is not disputed. The fourth ground s based upon the contention that because one of the grand urors was a non-resident his presence during the proceedings Tas unauthorized by law, and, therefore, the proceedings were itiated. These two grounds are but specifications of the first nd second, and must stand or fall with them.

It has not been pointed out in what respect the evidence taken efore the grand jury is insufficient, incompetent or illegal; msequently, nothing has been adduced in support of the fifth ad sixth grounds. This leaves the first and second grounds the ily ones to be considered.

[324]*324Those parts of the moving affidavits referring to the proceedings in court before the making of the present motion are irrelevant and will not be considered.

An objection, preliminary in its nature, is interposed by the district attorney, which, if sustained, necessarily destroys the defendants’ case on this motion.

The defendants claim that the indictments were not found by a legally constituted grand jury and that, therefore, they cannot be put upon trial because of the guaranty in the fifth amendment to the Federal constitution, which declares that no person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury. To this a sufficient answer is found in the decisions of the courts holding that this amendment does not apply to the States, but only to the Federal government and courts. Hurtado v. People, 110 U. S. 516; McNulty v. California, 149 id. 645; Livingston v. Mayor, 8 Wend. 85.

The further claim is made that the indictments, having been found by an illegal grand jury, are void, and that the defendants are protected from prosecution by article 1, section 6, of our State constitution, which declares that no person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury. This provision of the constitution, the prosecution says, cannot be invoked by the defense, for the reason that it applies only to infamous crimes, and since the defendants are charged with misdemeanors only, and could be proceeded against by information instead of by indictment, defects in the personnel of the grand jury are immaterial, and, even though they exist, no constitutional rights of the defendants have been violated.

It is true that protection against criminal prosecution, unless by the intervention of a grand jury, is guaranteed by the con stitution only in cases of felony, and that the defendants, bein¿ charged with misdemeanors, could have been prosecuted by in formation. Tet the district attorney, having elected to procee< by indictment instead of by information, must be deemed b [325]*325' lave contemplated an indictment found by a legally constituted grand jury. The defendants may be brought into court either by information or by indictment; but, by whichever method, they must be legally charged with the commission of a crime. If by indictment, .the pleading must be in the form of and must contain the essentials prescribed by law, and if an indictment for misdemeanor be defective in form or substance, the fact that the constitution did not require prosecution for misdemeanor by indictment would not make good that which was bad. So, if an indictment for misdemeanor be found by an illegally constituted grand jury, it follows that it is not a legal pleading on which a prosecution can be instituted. There is but one grand jury, and that is the one referred to in the constitution, and the formation of which is regulated by statute, and if a body of men be organized into a grand jury without authority of law it would hot be a legal grand jury, and any indictment found by it, whether for felony or misdemeanor, could not sustain a criminal prosecution. When, in a case of misdemeanor, a district attorney elects to prosecute by indictment, he must do so through the medium of a legally constituted grand jury and by an indictment that is good at law, 'both as to form and substance. To admit a different contention would lead to a conclusion, impossible under our law, that, for a misdemeanor, a district attorney could prosecute by an insufficient indictment, found by an illegal grand jury. I am, therefore, of opinion that the defendants have a legal right to raise the question of the illegal character of the grand jury that found the indictments.

A clear understanding of the questions raised requires their orderly arrangement into, first, the object and effect of the motion, and, secondly, the merits upon which it rests. Plainly, the object is to assail the record of the court and to effect a destruction of that which is now a verity. The record of the court, md the proceedings of which it is bound to take judicial notice, ire as follows: On the 8th of December, 1900, the board for ■he selection of grand jurors certified to the selection, from the [326]*326list produced by the commissioner of jurors of persons qualified to serve as jurors in the county of Hew York, of 996 persons to serve as grand jurors for the different terms of the Court of General Sessions during the year 1901. This was in pursuance of chapter 484 of the Laws of 1895. On the 9th day of October, 1901, by order of court, a panel of fifty persons, from the list so selected, was drawn to serve as grand jurors for the November term of the court (Code Crim. Pro., secs. 225, 227, Laws of 1895, chap.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
16 N.Y. Crim. 321, 37 Misc. 345, 75 N.Y.S. 500, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-scannell-nygensess-1902.