People v. Schellenbach

20 Misc. 3d 360
CourtNew York County Courts
DecidedApril 30, 2008
StatusPublished

This text of 20 Misc. 3d 360 (People v. Schellenbach) 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. Schellenbach, 20 Misc. 3d 360 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2008).

Opinion

[361]*361OPINION OF THE COURT

Rory J. Bellantoni, J.

“The purpose of the criminal justice system is, obviously, to do justice in criminal cases. This truism underlies all of the statutory schemes, courtrooms, and penal institutions that constitute the criminal justice system. The truism even affects the status of prosecuting attorneys, who are meant to seek the just result in each case and not simply a conviction and a maximum sentence.” (John F. Wirenius, A Model of Discretion: New York’s “Interests of Justice” Dismissal Statute, 58 Alb L Rev 175, 175 [1994].)

Defendant, Wolfgang Schellenbach, was arraigned on April 12, 2007 and charged with committing two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of forcible touching, and one count of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. Defendant entered a plea of not guilty to all charges pending therein.

The charges arise from an incident that allegedly occurred on or about February 8, 2007, at approximately 2:45 am., when defendant, restaurant/lounge owner of Café El Dorado was in the basement level of the restaurant with the complainant who alleged that she was sexually abused by defendant. The complainant alleged that defendant touched her breasts and vagina without her consent.

Defendant was arraigned on April 12, 2007; as a customary practice of the sex offense court, and all problem-solving courts, this court held an off-the-record conference on May 3, 2007. At that conference, the People, defense counsel and the court discussed the facts surrounding the case and the People’s offer — a plea to sexual abuse in the first degree with a probationary term of 10 years, and all sex offender conditions imposed. Defense counsel informed the court that his client was not interested in the offer. Defense counsel informed the court that the complainant in this case had contacted defendant in an attempt to obtain money from him in exchange for “dropping the charges.” Defense counsel further stated that there was a tape memorializing said conversation and that he had alerted the District Attorney’s Office on March 16, 2007 of these “extortion” attempts on the part of the complainant.

The People requested the tape to be turned over by defense counsel; however, defense counsel refused explaining that he [362]*362had been “burned” before by “this District Attorney’s Office” in an unrelated case. The court did not request nor require defense counsel to turn over the tape. At no other point during plea negotiations in the presence of the court — either on and/or off the record — did the People request to listen to or have defense counsel turn over the alleged tape. Further, the People never conditioned any plea offer on listening to the tape-recorded conversation until November 1, 2007.

On July 27, 2007 and on August 23, 2007, the court was informed that the parties were actively engaged in plea bargaining negotiations and both parties sought adjournments of the matter — the People communicated to the court that, at worst, defendant would be offered a violation, a noncriminal offense, or an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (ACD). On September 27, 2007 the matter was calendared; the court had an off-the-record discussion where the People offered a plea to a harassment charge, a noncriminal disposition. Defendant stated he might be willing to accept the plea offer, but had to inquire with his “liquor law” attorney as to whether accepting such a disposition would affect the status and/or renewal of his liquor license. The matter was adjourned, once again, to October 18, 2007, for defendant to determine whether the proposed disposition of a plea to a violation would affect his liquor license.

On or about and between October 9, 2007 and October 11, 2007 the People requested an adjournment of the October 18, 2007 court date. When the court inquired as to the reason for the adjournment request, the People advised the court that the assigned assistant district attorney (hereinafter ADA) wished to inspect the premises where the alleged crime occurred; the ADA also advised the court that the plea offers now considered by the People were either an ACD or an outright dismissal of the entire indictment. Since the representation to the court was that a disposition was imminent in this case, the court again agreed to adjourn the matter until November 1, 2007, even though the court had been instructed by the supervising judge of the criminal courts to resolve the matter on October 18, 2007 or to send the case to the Trial Assignment Part (hereinafter TAP).

On November 1, 2007, the People stated that they needed another one-week adjournment because the approval of the [363]*363District Attorney herself was needed to dismiss the indictment.1 The court advised the ADA to consult with her supervisors and to return with a firm offer of either an ACD or dismissal by the end of the day — the same offers that were being considered by the People as represented to the court in the phone communication held in October 2007. At the end of the day, all parties returned to court and the ADA stated that the District Attorney refused to make any further offers until defendant turned over the tape, and demanded that the matter be sent out for trial. Defense counsel became highly agitated, accusing the District Attorney’s Office of prosecutorial misconduct, among other things, and motion practice ensued.

Defendant has now filed the instant motion to dismiss the indictment in the interest of justice pursuant to CPL 210.40. The People oppose defendant’s motion.2 On December 19, 2007, defendant filed a reply affirmation and on December 20, 2007, arguments were held, on the record, with respect to the instant motion. The court indicated at the conclusion of oral arguments that defendant’s motion was granted, with a written “decision and order” to follow.

A motion to dismiss in the interest of justice, more commonly referred to as a Clayton motion, grants a court the discretion to dismiss an indictment if a court finds that the “ends of justice would be served by the termination of the prosecution. Indeed, it has been stated that the use of the statute depend[s] only on principles of justice, not on the legal or factual merits of the charge or even on the guilt or innocence of the defendant.” (People v Clayton, 41 AD2d 204, 206 [2d Dept 1973] [citations [364]*364omitted].) A balance between the rights of the individual and the interests of the State must be maintained in considering the factors set forth by CPL 210.40 when a court considers a motion to dismiss in the interest of justice. Thus, a court has the discretion to dismiss an indictment in the furtherance of justice even when there is no basis for such dismissal as a matter of law. (CPL 210.40.) While the court has discretion, the court must find some compelling factor, consideration or circumstance demonstrating that conviction or prosecution of the defendant would constitute or result in injustice. Thus, the court must examine and consider, to the extent applicable, individually and collectively, the following factors, set forth in CPL 210.40 (1):

“(a) the seriousness and circumstances of the offense;
“(b) the extent of harm caused by the offense;
“(c) the evidence of guilt, whether admissible or inadmissible at trial;

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Related

People v. Clayton
41 A.D.2d 204 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1973)

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Bluebook (online)
20 Misc. 3d 360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-schellenbach-nycountyct-2008.