People v. Valle

7 Misc. 2d 125, 164 N.Y.S.2d 67, 1957 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2938
CourtNew York Court of Special Session
DecidedMay 29, 1957
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 7 Misc. 2d 125 (People v. Valle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Special Session primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Valle, 7 Misc. 2d 125, 164 N.Y.S.2d 67, 1957 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2938 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1957).

Opinion

Louis I. Kaplan, J.

This is an appeal from an order of the City Magistrates’ Court, entered on March 18, 1957, revoking probation and committing the defendant to the New York City Reformatory for an indefinite period not to exceed two years.

Appellant was convicted on February 17, 1956 in the Magistrates’ Court, New York County, for a violation of section 722-b of the Penal Law, and thereafter, on March 9, 1956, was placed on probation for a period not to exceed one year. By its terms, the probationary period was to expire no later than March 8, 1957. Prior to the expiration of the probationary period of the appellant, an affidavit of complaint was filed by Probation Officer Marcus on December 26, 1956 charging that the appellant violated the terms and conditions of probation in that he failed to report on December 3, 10, 17, and 20, 1956 when he was specifically directed to do so. Upon the facts set forth in the affidavit of the probation officer a warrant for the arrest of the appellant was ordered by the Magistrate, which warrant was turned over to the appropriate officer for execution on December 26,1956.

On March 15, 1957 the appellant was taken into custody, and was arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court on the charge of violation of probation. He was advised of the facts alleged to constitute the violation of probation, and of his right to be heard. The appellant requested an opportunity to consult counsel and the matter was adjourned to March 18, 1957 — the court stating as follows:

the court : ‘ ‘ Put it on for Monday, March 18th, Remand. Put him in jail until Monday.”

On March 18, 1957 the appellant appeared before another Magistrate (without a lawyer) and was again advised of the facts alleged to constitute the violation of probation and was found guilty after a hearing and was sentenced to the New York City Reformatory for an indefinite period not to exceed two years.

[127]*127The appellant raises the following contentions:

1. The appellant was deprived of his constitutional rights to counsel.

2. The evidence upon which the judgment was based was wholly insufficient.

3. The sentence imposed was excessive.

4. The Magistrate lacked jurisdiction to revoke the probation.

The circumstances giving rise to contentions 1, 2 and 4 are based upon the law and the facts contained in the record.

Revocation of probation is a matter of discretion of the court. There are no limiting requirements as to the manner of the hearing or determination. A probationer brought before the court for such determination, without being furnished counsel, has not been deprived of his constitutional rights. (Gillespie v. Hunter, 159 F. 2d 410.) A hearing on a charge of probation violation is in the nature of a summary proceeding and is not a ‘ ‘ criminal prosecution”. (United States v. Hollien, 105 F. Supp. 987.)

However, the trial of an issue of fact to decide whether a probationer shall serve his suspended prison term is as important to him as the trial for the crime for which he was placed on probation. He should be allowed to test the truth of the facts claimed to support the revocation of his probation. He must be given the opportunity to explain away the accusation of violation of probation and it would seem elementary that the probationer be given an opportunity to obtain counsel, if requested, the assistance of witnesses, to attack or deny the charges, and to be convicted only by evidence reasonably satisfactory to satisfy the judge that the alleged violation occurred. The Code of Criminal Procedure (§ 935) provides that the probationer be given “ an opportunity to be heard ” which is merely a statutory expression of the concept of American justice. (Escoe v. Zerbst, 295 U. S. 490; People v. Oskroba, 305 N. Y. 113.)

The right to a fair trial is deep-rooted in our tradition of American justice, and to guarantee this right our founding fathers set forth in the Constitution the guarantee that “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” (N. Y. Const. art. I, § 6) It is the duty of the court to hold inviolate the rights of a defendant regardless of the judicial proceeding and the assistance of counsel in every stage of the proceedings in order that the defendant may be fully and completely heard. In my opinion, the courts are duty bound to guarantee the safeguards provided by law and not permit them to be flouted. When the courts permit a defendant’s [128]*128rights to be disregarded and his constitutional safeguards violated, our cherished freedoms will slowly start to disappear, and our form of Government will no longer be truly “ of, for and by the people.”

In the instant case, appellant requested counsel and, in my opinion, was not given an adequate opportunity to obtain same; was convicted under circumstances whereby he was not given the proper inquiry to fit the needs of the occasion. Although the quantity of proof needed to support a criminal conviction is not required to support a discretionary order revoking probation, and though a judge need not have evidence that would establish the violation of probation beyond a reasonable doubt, the evidence and facts must be such as to reasonably satisfy the judge that a violation of probation has occurred and to this end a proper inquiry is necessary. The only evidence offered was the testimony of a probation officer unconnected with the case who explained the supervision record of the .probation officer previously assigned to the case (whose absence was explained only by the fact that he was no longer with the Department of Probation) and who gave his opinions and conclusions as to what he thought was shown by the record. No foundation was laid for the introduction into evidence of the supervision record, nor was it offered into evidence. The appellant did not take the stand but was asked questions in a summary fashion by the court. The appellant in reply to the questions of the court stated that he was told by the probation officer to appear on December 3, 10, 17 and 20; that he called the probation officer and that he appeared on two or three of the days. It is admitted that appellant appeared on December 18th and was told to appear on the 20th so that the case could be submitted to the court. In view of the testimony offered, additional inquiry should have been made and an attempt to effectuate the appearance of the probation officer who made the supervision record. In view of all the circumstances and the summary manner in which the appellant’s testimony was elicited, I conclude that sufficient inquiry was not had and appellant was not given an adequate opportunity to explain away the accusation. In my opinion there was a denial of justice.

Section 927 et seq. of the Code of Criminal Procedure set forth the procedure to be followed with respect to violations of probation. When a probationer shall violate the conditions of probation, the court may issue a warrant, and commit him with or without bail; after arraignment and an opportunity to be heard, the court may revoke, continue or modify his probation, and if [129]*129revoked, may impose any sentence it might have originally imposed. (Code Crim. Pro., § 935.)

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Bluebook (online)
7 Misc. 2d 125, 164 N.Y.S.2d 67, 1957 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2938, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-valle-nyspecsessct-1957.