People v. Scott

172 Misc. 2d 594, 659 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 194
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedApril 23, 1997
StatusPublished

This text of 172 Misc. 2d 594 (People v. Scott) 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. Scott, 172 Misc. 2d 594, 659 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 194 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1997).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Irving Rosen, J.

[595]*595The defendant, Marcus Scott, was charged on June 21, 1995 in a felony complaint with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (Penal Law § 265.02 [4]) and possession of ammunition (Administrative Code of City of NY § 10-131 [i] [3]). A ballistics report revealed that the weapon was inoperable due to a bent bolt, missing bolt plunger and improper bolt spring. On June 26, 1995 as a result of a ballistics report that the firearm was inoperable the People made an application to reduce the felony weapons possession charge to criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 265.01) which was granted and the accusatory instrument was deemed an information.

The factual portion of the accusatory instrument, insofar as relevant herein, reads as follows:

"P.O. Alfred Conti of 47th Pet., Shield 12582 says that on or about June 20, 1995 at approximately 11:45 P.M., at Corner of East 226th Street and Barnes Avenue, County of the Bronx, State of New York * * *
"Deponent states that, at the above time and place, the deponent observed defendant to have in his waistband area one .357 Magnum Revolver serial # KE437086 and that said gun was loaded with 6 live rounds consisting of six metal castings each topped by a metal bullet.
"Deponent further states that defendant did not posses [sic] a valid permit for said gun.”

The defendant then moved, inter alia, for an order dismissing the charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 265.01) on the grounds of facial insufficiency. The People opposed this application arguing that the allegations of the accusatory instrument supported a charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. By decision and order dated September 19, 1995, the court (Espinoza, J.), notwithstanding the fact that it found the reasoning of a court of concurrent jurisdiction to be persuasive (People v Todd, 153 Misc 2d 579), felt itself constrained to follow the ruling of the Appellate Term, First Department, in People v Monroig (NYLJ, Mar. 25, 1994, at 25, col 1), and granted defendant’s motion to dismiss said charge. The People thereafter filed a notice of appeal and moved to reargue. By decision and order dated November 14, 1995 the court (Espinoza, J.) denied the motion. The minutes furnished to the court by the People establish that on each adjourned date subsequent to the parties’ receipt of a copy of Judge Espinoza’s decision and order denying reargument the People informed the court that [596]*596there was an appeal pending. The People have perfected their appeal and are presently awaiting the hearing of the appeal and a decision thereon.

The defendant has moved via notice of motion dated September 6, 1996 to dismiss the remaining count of the accusatory instrument on statutory and constitutional speedy trial grounds and for other ancillary relief. It should he noted at the outset that the court held a conference with counsel for both parties on February 13, 1997 seeking to more clearly define the contentions of the parties. At that conference the defendant’s counsel stated that he was not contesting the People’s diligence in perfecting the appeal. On February 28, defense counsel served a notice of motion dated February 27, 1997 seeking the same relief requested in his notice of motion dated September 6, 1996 expanding upon his speedy trial application and including a claim of extraordinary delay by the People in perfecting their appeal. These motions are deemed consolidated by the court for the purpose of this decision which addresses the issues and arguments contained in both defense motions.

THE STATUTORY SPEEDY TRIAL CLAIM

A. Chargeability During An Appeal

The main issue raised in the motion papers is whether the People are chargeable under CPL 30.30 for not proceeding to trial on the remaining count on the docket or whether they may await the outcome of their appeal of the dismissed charge before proceeding to trial on the remaining count of the docket.

In essence the court is being asked to interpret that portion of CPL 30.30 (4) (a) which provides, inter alia, that:

"4. In computing the time within which the people must be ready for trial pursuant to subdivisions one and two, the following periods must be excluded:
"(a) a reasonable period of delay resulting from other proceedings concerning the defendant, including but not limited to * * * appeals”.

The general purpose of CPL 30.30 is to promote the prompt resolution of criminal charges. It is not a speedy trial statute in the constitutional sense and addresses only the problem of prosecutorial readiness for trial. (People v Anderson, 66 NY2d 52.) Its "main thrust” is to require the prosecution to be prepared within a reasonable time in all but the unusual case. (People v Berkowitz, 50 NY2d 333.) Legislative intent is [597]*597ascertained from the words and language used in the statute. When the language thereof is clear and unambiguous the court must utilize the natural and commonsense meaning of the language while giving import of each word used. (McKinney’s Cons Laws of NY, Book 1, Statutes §§ 92, 94.) Based upon the unambiguous language of the statute the court concludes that the exclusion of "appeals” for speedy trial purposes contained in CPL 30.30 (4) (a) grants the People the right to await the outcome of their appeal as long as said appeal is perfected in a reasonable period of time. The court also notes that it is a general rule of construction that statutes giving the right of appeal are always liberally construed in favor of the party seeking a review. (McKinney’s Cons Laws of NY, Book 1, Statutes § 326.) Furthermore, there is precedent permitting the People to await the outcome of an appeal. (See, People v Dean, 45 NY2d 651, where the delay attributable to an appeal by a defendant in a related case which could have directly affected the case at bar, was excluded from speedy trial calculations.) In People v Dean (supra, at 658) the Court stated that "[t]he appeal involved an unusual case of first impression which, if decided in defendant’s favor, could well have warranted the dismissal of the remaining indictments against him. The prosecutor was entitled to await the outcome of the appeal before subjecting both the defendant and his office to the expense and travail of a trial which might well have proved to be futile. In the unique situation that existed here the elapsed time during the pendency of a related appeal that would directly affect the validity of this indictment is excluded from the computations of CPL 30.30 (People v Rarback, 40 NY2d 922).”

Additionally, the interests of judicial economy militate in favor of awaiting the outcome of the appeal.

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Related

People v. Taranovich
335 N.E.2d 303 (New York Court of Appeals, 1975)
People v. Rarback
358 N.E.2d 267 (New York Court of Appeals, 1976)
People v. Dean
384 N.E.2d 1277 (New York Court of Appeals, 1978)
People v. Berkowitz
406 N.E.2d 783 (New York Court of Appeals, 1980)
People v. Gallina
485 N.E.2d 216 (New York Court of Appeals, 1985)
People v. Grafton
533 N.E.2d 668 (New York Court of Appeals, 1988)
People v. Grafton
136 A.D.2d 960 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1988)
People v. Green
139 A.D.2d 760 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1988)
People v. Aaron
201 A.D.2d 574 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)
People v. Holmes
206 A.D.2d 542 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)
People v. Todd
153 Misc. 2d 579 (Criminal Court of the City of New York, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
172 Misc. 2d 594, 659 N.Y.S.2d 697, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 194, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-scott-nycrimct-1997.