State v. Daryl W.

50 Misc. 3d 498, 19 N.Y.S.3d 396
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 13, 2015
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 50 Misc. 3d 498 (State v. Daryl W.) 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
State v. Daryl W., 50 Misc. 3d 498, 19 N.Y.S.3d 396 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Peter M. Forman, J.

Dr. Joan Sincavage is a licensed psychologist employed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH). Prior to the commencement of this proceeding, Dr. Sincavage evaluated respondent to determine whether he is a sex offender requiring civil management for purposes of article 10 of the Mental Hygiene Law. Based upon that evaluation, Dr. Sincavage concluded that respondent meets the criteria for the following diagnoses under the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5): (1) other specified paraphilic disorder (arousal [500]*500to non-consent),1 and (2) other specified neurodevelopmental disorder (borderline intellectual functioning). Dr. Sincavage also diagnosed respondent with the condition of sexual preoccupation. This condition is also known as hypersexuality, which is recognized and defined in the glossary of DSM-5.

Dr. Sincavage also considered assigning respondent with a DSM-5 diagnosis of delusional disorder (erotomanic type). However, she concluded that this diagnosis should not be assigned “at this time” because “while there were elements in his distorted thinking that were consistent with such a delusion, there was also evidence to the contrary.” Dr. Sincavage qualified this determination by stating that it would be appropriate to revisit this issue if additional evidence is revealed in the future that would support a delusional disorder diagnosis.

Respondent now moves for an order precluding all testimony regarding the diagnoses of other specified paraphilic disorder (arousal to non-consent) and sexual preoccupation. In the alternative, respondent moves for a Frye hearing as to the admissibility of these diagnoses. Respondent also moves for an order precluding all testimony regarding any diagnosis that may be contained in OMH records that were created after the petition was filed in this article 10 proceeding. Finally, respondent moves for an order precluding all evidence regarding any diagnosis that has been considered but not assigned.

For the reasons stated herein, respondent’s motion for an order precluding any evidence that Dr. Sincavage considered, but did not assign, a delusional disorder diagnosis is granted, without prejudice to petitioner’s ability to revisit consideration of such a diagnosis if additional relevant evidence is revealed in the future. The remainder of respondent’s motion is denied.

Discussion

“The long-recognized rule of Frye v United States ... is that expert testimony based on scientific principles or procedures is admissible but only after a principle or procedure has ‘gained general acceptance’ in its specified field.” (People v Wesley, 83 NY2d 417, 422 [1994] [citation omitted].) “[T]he test is not whether a particular procedure is unanimously indorsed by the scientific community, but whether it is generally accepted] as [501]*501reliable.” (People v Middleton, 54 NY2d 42, 49 [1981]; see also Cornell v 360 W. 51st St. Realty, LLC, 22 NY3d 762, 780 [2014] [“While the Frye test turns on acceptance by the relevant scientific community, we have never insisted that the particular procedure be unanimously indorsed by scientists, rather than generally acceptable as reliable” (internal quotation marks omitted)].)

“General acceptance does not necessarily mean that a majority of the scientists involved subscribe to the conclusion. Rather it means that those espousing the theory or opinion have followed generally accepted scientific principles and methodology in evaluating clinical data to reach their conclusions.” (Ratner v McNeil-PPC, Inc., 91 AD3d 63, 71 [2d Dept 2011], quoting Zito v Zabarsky, 28 AD3d 42, 44 [2d Dept 2006]; see also LaRose v Corrao, 105 AD3d 1009, 1009 [2d Dept 2013] [“The test’s limited purpose is to ascertain whether the expert’s conclusion is based upon accepted scientific principles, rather than simply the expert’s own unsupported beliefs”].) Therefore, “[t]he main purpose of a Frye inquiry is to determine whether the scientific deduction in a particular case has been sufficiently established to have gained general acceptance in a particular field, not ... to verify the soundness of a scientific conclusion.” (Alston v Sunharbor Manor, LLC, 48 AD3d 600, 602 [2d Dept 2008]; see also Lugo v New York City Health & Hosps. Corp., 89 AD3d 42, 56 [2d Dept 2011] [“Put another way, the court’s job is not to decide who is right and who is wrong, but rather to decide whether or not there is sufficient scientific support for the expert’s theory” (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)].)

“A court is only required to conduct an inquiry, concerning general acceptance, pursuant to Frye, in situations in which a party seeks to rely upon novel scientific, technical or other concepts involving expertise.” (Matter of Seventh Jud. Dist. Asbestos Litig., 9 Misc 3d 306, 311 [Sup Ct, Wayne County 2005].) “Otherwise stated, if a principal theory or methodology forming the basis for an expert opinion has been generally accepted in the relevant scientific community, it would not be novel, and therefore, not require a hearing or other inquiry by the court.” (Id.)

The party challenging the introduction of testimony based upon scientific principles has the initial burden of coming forward with information that makes a prima facie showing that the testimony rests upon a novel theory that is not gener[502]*502ally accepted within the relevant scientific community. (Santos v State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 28 Misc 3d 1078, 1079 [Sup Ct, Nassau County 2010].) Once that initial showing has been met, “the burden then shifts to the proponent of the evidence to show by a fair preponderance of the credible evidence that there is sufficient general acceptance of its reliability.” (Id.; see also Frye v Montefiore Med. Ctr., 100 AD3d 28, 38 [1st Dept 2012] [holding that, once “a credible challenge to the underpinning of the expert theory has been raised,” the party offering that evidence “bears the burden of demonstrating its reliability”].)

Relying on State of New York v Kenneth T. (24 NY3d 174 [2014]), respondent asserts that a Frye hearing is mandated in this case because Dr. Sincavage’s opinion relies upon, inter alia, a diagnosis of other specified paraphilic disorder, which was known under earlier versions of the DSM as paraphilia not otherwise specified (collectively, paraphilia NOS). However, the court does not read Kenneth T. as vesting respondent with an automatic right to a Frye hearing challenging the reliability of a paraphilia NOS diagnosis. Nor does the court read Kenneth T. as relieving respondent from his obligation to make a prima facie showing that a diagnosis of paraphilia NOS is a novel theory that is not generally accepted within the relevant scientific community.

A proper understanding of Kenneth T. begins with an examination of Matter of State of New York v Shannon S. (20 NY3d 99 [2012]), which was a 4-3 decision handed down by the Court of Appeals two years before its decision in Kenneth T. In Shannon S., the State’s expert psychologist diagnosed the respondent with paraphilia NOS and hebephilia (sexual attraction to pubescent girls below the age of consent).

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Bluebook (online)
50 Misc. 3d 498, 19 N.Y.S.3d 396, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-daryl-w-nysupct-2015.