People v. Tribote

54 Misc. 2d 58, 281 N.Y.S.2d 267, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1467
CourtNew York County Courts
DecidedJune 8, 1967
StatusPublished

This text of 54 Misc. 2d 58 (People v. Tribote) 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. Tribote, 54 Misc. 2d 58, 281 N.Y.S.2d 267, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1467 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1967).

Opinion

P. Raymond Sirignano, J.

This is a hearing, pursuant to the authority of People v. Huntley (15 N Y 2d 72), which was directed by the court upon the defendant’s coram nobis application. The defendant was tried in this court on an indictment charging him and others with the crimes of robbery first degree, while armed. Upon his conviction, after a jury trial, he was sentenced - and is presently serving that sentence. Upon the hearing, the following testimony was adduced:

New York State Trooper, Thomas Buon, now Senior Investigator, testified that he, along with Sergeant Arthur Wright, took the defendant into custody at about 1:30 p.m. on June 16, 1954, in the Borough of Brooklyn. He stated that he worked out of the 270 Broadway, New York City office of the New York [59]*59State Police and that he brought the defendant to such office to await the arrival of officers of Troop K of Hawthorne, New York. He stated that at the time of the defendant’s arrest he did not have an arrest warrant with him. He knew, however, that one was in existence. He stated that he advised the defendant of the charges against him but did not question him concerning the same. He stated that the defendant was arrested at gunpoint and that his car was also brought to said 270 Broadway office. He stated that he did not physically abuse the defendant; did not threaten him, nor did he make any promises to him. He also stated that to his knowledge the defendant did not ask for an attorney, nor did he specifically ask to contact a certain Patrick Dempsey, Esq., a New York City attorney. He did not recall whether the defendant asked to call his mother. He stated that they arrived at the 270 Broadway office with the defendant at about 2:35 p.m. and that he did not give the defendant any food.

•Sergeant Wright, now a Major, testified substantially the same, and further testified that the defendant did not ask to use the telephone; that the defendant was not questioned, nor does he recall the defendant saying that he had a lawyer who had an office around the corner from 270 Broadway. He did not recall feeding the defendant; nor did he recall taking him to the bathroom.

Lieutenant Samuel J. Crodelle testified that in 1954 he was a Sergeant attached to Troop K and that he, along with Sergeant Lake, went to 270 Broadway, New York City, and took the defendant into custody. He testified that they arrived in New York City that day, June 16, 1954, at about 4:00 p.m. and that they left New York City with the defendant and went to Troop K at Hawthorne, arriving about 7:00 p.m. He stated that the defendant was not questioned on the way and upon their arrival there the defendant was booked for Harrison Police Department. He testified that he did not physically abuse the defendant; did not threaten him, nor did he make any promises to him. He stated that the defendant was not denied the right to use the bathroom. He further stated that he did not advise the defendant of his right to remain silent, to his right to an attorney, or of his right to call his family. He stated that he turned the defendant over to Sergeant Johnston and Detective De Macy of the Harrison Police Department, who then took him to Harrison Police Headquarters. He stated that he followed them there and then returned to Hawthorne.

Sergeant De Macy testified that on June 16, 1954, he was a detective and that on that day he wént to Troop K with Ser[60]*60geant Johnston to pick up the defendant and take him to Harrison Police Headquarters. He testified that a trooper’s car followed them to Harrison and then left. The defendant was booked and interrogated. Sergeant Johnston took a written statement from the defendant, after which he was placed in a cell. He testified that he did not threaten or physically abuse the defendant, nor did he make any promises to him. He stated that he photographed the defendant and that the photo he identified showed the defendant’s physical condition at the time of its taking. He stated that he did not advise the defendant of his right to counsel, nor was he requested by the defendant to phone anyone. He testified that the defendant was not denied the use of the bathroom; that the defendant never asked for food, nor did he ask to use the phone to call anyone.

Lieutenant Johnston testified that on June 16, 1954, he was a Sergeant on the Harrison Police Department and that he, along with Detective De Macy went to Hawthorne Barracks to pick up the defendant. They brought him to Harrison Police Headquarters where he was taken to an interrogation room. He stated that he obtained a statement from the defendant which he wrote in his own handwriting and which, after reading such statement and having it read to him, the defendant then .signed. He stated that he did not physically abuse the defendant, nor did he deny him the right to use the bathroom or refuse him food. He stated that when he and De Macy arrived at Hawthorne Barracks the defendant was being questioned by Assistant District Attorney Frederick Weeks, Jr. He stated that he questioned the defendant in the car on the way to Harrison and that he did not warn him of his right to an attorney, his right to remain silent, or his right to make use of a telephone. He further stated that the defendant never requested food, nor did he request to use the' phone to call anyone. He stated that he used no force or duress to obtain the statement and that the defendant was co-operative at all times and that neither he nor Detective De Macy ever struck the defendant.

The People also called other witnesses to authenticate the original transcript and its filing in the office of the County Clerk of Westchester County.

The defendant testified that he was arrested at gunpoint at 12 noon on June 16, 1954 at 47th Street and 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn by Troopers Wright and Buon; was frisked and taken to the 270 Broadway office. He claimed that he told the troopers that he wanted to stop to see his mother who lived five blocks away from the place of his arrest; but his [61]*61request was refused. He stated that he told the troopers that he had a lawyer named Dempsey who had an office on Chambers Street in New York City and that he wanted to call him; but was told that he would be permitted to do so later. He stated that he was questioned from 12:20 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. by the troopers in the New York City office. He testified that he was then taken in a police car to Hawthorne Barracks and that his own car, which he had been driving at the time of his arrest in Brooklyn, was also taken along, being driven by a trooper. He stated that it took some two hours to arrive at Hawthorne Barracks, traffic being heavy. He stated that they arrived about 7:00 p.m. ; that he was not fed nor permitted to use bathroom facilities. He stated that the police told him that they had a confession which implicated him; that he was questioned by many policemen and by Assistant District Attorney Frederick Weeks, Jr., who for a time was alone with him in a room at the barracks. He stated that Weeks did not advise him of his right to have an attorney, nor was he given any of the warnings now required by Miranda v. Arizona (384 U. S. 436); nor was he informed that he had already been indicted. He stated that he was taken to Harrison Police Headquarters where he was again interrogated, mainly by Sergeant Johnston. He claimed that Detective De Macy kept hitting him on the back of the head and that he signed the yellow sheets only to stop the constant beatings.

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Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
54 Misc. 2d 58, 281 N.Y.S.2d 267, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1467, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-tribote-nycountyct-1967.