People v. Seal

9 Misc. 3d 239
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 28, 2005
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Misc. 3d 239 (People v. Seal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Seal, 9 Misc. 3d 239 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Vincent M. Del Giudice, J.

[240]*240The indictment herein charges defendant with murder in the second degree and related charges.

A combined DunawayIMapp/Huntley¡Wade hearing (granted by a court of coordinate jurisdiction) was conducted before me on June 2 and June 7, 2005.

The People presented four witnesses, Police Detective Robert Hardy (now retired), Police Detective Peter McMahon, Police Lieutenant John Louis and Police Sergeant Robert Henderson, whose testimony I find to be credible and reliable.

The defendant presented no witnesses.

Following oral argument of the parties at the conclusion of the hearing testimony, the People moved to reopen the hearing for the purpose of calling defense counsel as a witness to further explore the issue raised and argued of whether an identified individual who telephoned the police precinct while defendant was being questioned as a suspect in this case was, as represented, a paralegal working with defense counsel and who had been directed by defense counsel to advise the police, inter alla, that defendant was in fact represented by defense counsel in this matter, thereby invoking defendant’s right to counsel. That oral motion was denied, but the People were granted leave to file a written motion to reopen the hearing and both parties were granted leave to submit legal memoranda regarding all issues presented at the hearing. In this connection,, the court granted the People’s request for a two-week adjournment to permit preparation and filing of the proposed motion.

The People’s written motion was filed with the court on July 1, 2005. In essence, the People now argue that “defendant had never asserted that statements be suppressed on the basis that he was represented by counsel until the People elicited such testimony at the time of the hearing.” Thus, the People argue that their oral motion to reopen the hearing made at the close of the hearing was “proper” and timely. Additionally, the People now argue that, during oral argument, the court improperly “placed the burden upon the People to prove the defendant was not represented by counsel.” In this connection, the People urge the court to consider that in defendant’s written motion “requesting suppression dated March 8, 2004, the defendant moved to suppress on lack of probable cause and Miranda violations.”

Initially, this court notes that defendant’s written omnibus motion, dated March 8, 2004, included a request for suppression of “any statements made by the defendant in violation of his [241]*241constitutional rights or otherwise obtained in violation of Miranda v Arizona, 384 US 436 (19[6]6), or in the alternative, for a hearing at which the issue of such statements may be litigated” (emphasis added). Although the People’s written response to that motion, dated March 17, 2004, apparently interpreted certain arguments in the motion papers as limiting the scope of the hearing on suppression of statements to issues of probable cause for defendant’s arrest and “voluntariness,” the People did not argue any limitations upon commencement of the hearing, which this court noted on the record was a combined Dunaway/Mapp/Huntley/Wade hearing, as ordered by a court of coordinate jurisdiction, with no specified limitation. Further, this court finds disingenuous the People’s current claim that during oral argument the court improperly shifted the burden of proof to the People “to prove the defendant was not represented by counsel,” and their related argument that the motion to reopen the hearing should be granted, in the court’s discretion, to permit the People “to establish that defendant was not in fact represented by counsel at the time he was being questioned.” It is well established that once evidence is elicited by a defendant to establish that the right to counsel had attached, and the People take a contrary position, the burden of proof necessarily shifts to the People to prove otherwise (see, e.g., People v Felder, 301 AD2d 458, 459 [1st Dept 2003], citing People v West, 81 NY2d 370, 379-381 [1993], and People v Marrero, 51 NY2d 56, 59 [1980]). Here, both sides had ample opportunity to elicit evidence regarding this specific issue at the hearing and both sides presented extended argument, citing relevant case law, regarding the issue.

Based upon all of the foregoing, the People’s written motion to reopen the suppression hearing to further explore the right to counsel issue in connection with defendant’s statements to the police must be denied. The People, having had a fair and full opportunity to present evidence at the hearing, are not entitled to a reopening of the hearing to further explore specific issues that were known to the People prior to the hearing, explored in depth on direct and cross-examination of the hearing witnesses, and argued extensively by both parties at the conclusion of the hearing testimony (see, People v Crandall, 69 NY2d 459 [1987]).

Findings of Fact

On October 25, 2003, Lieutenant John Louis, assigned to the 67th Precinct and on motor patrol, received a police broadcast [242]*242regarding a shooting that had occurred at approximately 3:00 a.m. within the 69th Precinct, in the vicinity of Avenue D and Remsen Avenue, in Kings County, including the license plate numbers of two vehicles observed leaving the scene of the shooting. Lieutenant Louis requested a computer check regarding the vehicles and attempted unsuccessfully to locate them at an address within the 69th Precinct that was provided through the computer check. Thereafter, knowing that a large party was being held at a club located in the vicinity of Albany Avenue and Rutland Road, in Kings County, Lieutenant Louis, with his partner, Police Officer Scott Velasquez, drove to that location. While stopped at a traffic light at Albany Avenue and Rutland Road between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m., Lieutenant Louis saw a two-door black Acura automobile bearing one of the broadcast license plate numbers being driven by a male later identified as defendant. With lights activated, Lieutenant Louis directed defendant to pull over and defendant, who had a female passenger in the car, complied.

Defendant was directed out of the car, Lieutenant Louis conducted a pat-down of defendant and a search of the car for weapons (none were recovered), and defendant was advised that his vehicle had been observed leaving the scene of the shooting incident herein. Lieutenant Louis asked defendant if he had been driving the car all night and defendant said he was just out to pick up his girlfriend. Lieutenant Louis then contacted the 69th Precinct to inquire if any witness was available for a showup and was advised to bring defendant to the 69th Precinct Detective Squad office. Although Lieutenant Louis testified that he didn’t think he would have let defendant leave, he asked defendant if he would come to the precinct house and defendant agreed.

Lieutenant Louis requested the assistance of Sergeant Robert Henderson to drive defendant to the 69th Precinct House. Officer Velasquez drove the Acura to the 69th Precinct House garage to turn it over to members of the detective squad. Defendant was not handcuffed for the trip to the precinct house. When they arrived there, Sergeant Henderson brought defendant to the detective squad interview room and left him there, still not handcuffed, with the door closed.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
9 Misc. 3d 239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-seal-nysupct-2005.