People v. Crupi

• Decision Date: 08 May 2019
• Docket Number: 2015-09972,Ind. No. 315/12
• Citation: 172 A.D.3d 898,100 N.Y.S.3d 56
• Parties: The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent, v. Jonathan CRUPI, Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

172 A.D.3d 898

100 N.Y.S.3d 56

The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent,

v.Jonathan CRUPI, Appellant.

2015-09972

Ind. No. 315/12

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

Argued—January 29, 2019

May 8, 2019

Paul Skip Laisure, New York, N.Y. (Jenin Younes of counsel), for appellant.

Michael E. McMahon, District Attorney, Staten Island, N.Y. (Morrie I. Kleinbart and Anne Grady of counsel), for respondent.

MARK C. DILLON, J.P., HECTOR D. LASALLE, BETSY BARROS, LINDA CHRISTOPHER, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Richmond County (Mario F. Mattei, J.), rendered September 23, 2015, convicting him of murder in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence. The appeal brings up for review the denial, without a hearing (Leonard P. Rienzi), of those branches of the defendant's motion which were to controvert two search warrants.

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him of the murder of his wife.

We agree with the Supreme Court's denial of those branches of the defendant's motion which were to controvert the search warrant dated July 5, 2012, authorizing a search of "computers, laptops, computer tablets, or cellular phones," and the search warrant dated July 12, 2012, authorizing a search of four specific laptops, a cell phone, and a detachable hard drive, made on the ground that these warrants were not supported by probable cause and were overbroad. "To establish probable cause, a search warrant application must provide sufficient information ‘to support a reasonable belief that evidence of a crime may be found in a certain place’ " ( People v. Murray, 136 A.D.3d 714, 714, 24 N.Y.S.3d 194, quoting People v. McCulloch, 226 A.D.2d 848, 849, 640 N.Y.S.2d 914 ; see People v. Augustus, 163 A.D.3d 981, 982, 83 N.Y.S.3d 281 ). Great deference should be accorded to the court's determination to issue a search warrant (see People v. Griminger, 71 N.Y.2d 635, 640, 529 N.Y.S.2d 55, 524 N.E.2d 409 ; People v. Johnson, 66 N.Y.2d 398, 406, 497 N.Y.S.2d 618, 488 N.E.2d 439 ; People v. Kane, 175 A.D.2d 881, 883, 573 N.Y.S.2d 729 ).

Here, each of the challenged warrants was supported by an affidavit of a police witness providing the requisite probable cause to believe that evidence relating to the victim's murder would be found on the identified devices (see People v. Smith, 163 A.D.3d 1005, 82 N.Y.S.3d 453 ; see also People v. Hanlon, 36 N.Y.2d 549, 559, 369 N.Y.S.2d 677, 330 N.E.2d 631 ). Moreover, contrary to the defendant's contention, the description of the objects to be seized in each of the challenged warrants was not broader than was justified by the probable cause upon which the warrants were based (see United States v. Ulbricht, 858 F.3d 71, 102 [2d Cir.] ; U.S. v. Galpin, 720 F.3d 436, 445–446 [2d Cir.] ). Thus, the warrants were not overbroad (see People v. Armstrong, 267 A.D.2d 120, 121, 700 N.Y.S.2d 149 ; People v. Durante, 131 A.D.2d 499, 516 N.Y.S.2d 249 ; cf. People v. Couser, 303 A.D.2d 981, 756 N.Y.S.2d 686 ; People v. Brown, 96 N.Y.2d 80, 85, 725 N.Y.S.2d 601, 749 N.E.2d 170 ). The defendant's contention that the search of these devices was improper absent probable cause to believe that he, in particular, was involved in the victim's murder, is unpreserved for appellate review (see CPL 470.05[2] ; People v. Toellner, 299 A.D.2d 567, 750 N.Y.S.2d 646 ). In any event, the contention is without merit.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 467 N.Y.S.2d 349, 454 N.E.2d 932 ), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (see People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 349, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 ). Moreover, in fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15[5] ; People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 ), we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902 ).

The Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in prohibiting the defendant from cross-examining a police witness with respect to the allegations of false arrest and/or police brutality in four federal lawsuits filed against that witness. "Where a lawsuit has not resulted in an adverse finding against a police officer ... defendants should not be permitted to ask a witness if he or she has been sued, if the case was settled (unless there was an admission of wrongdoing) or if the criminal charges related to the plaintiffs in those actions were dismissed. However, subject to the trial court's discretion, defendants should be permitted to ask questions based on the specific allegations of the lawsuit if the allegations are relevant to the credibility of the witness" ( People v. Smith, 27 N.Y.3d 652, 662, 36 N.Y.S.3d 861, 57 N.E.3d 53 ). "In cross-examining a law enforcement witness, the same standard for good faith basis and specific allegations relevant to credibility applies, as does the same broad latitude to preclude or limit cross-examination" ( People v. Enoe, 144 A.D.3d 1052, 1054, 42 N.Y.S.3d 48 ). "First, counsel must present a good faith basis for inquiring, namely, the lawsuit relied upon; second, specific allegations that are relevant to the credibility of the law enforcement witness must be identified; and third, the trial judge exercises discretion in assessing whether inquiry into such allegations would confuse or mislead the jury, or create a substantial risk of undue prejudice to the parties" ( People v. Smith, 27 N.Y.3d at 662, 36 N.Y.S.3d 861, 57 N.E.3d 53 ). Here, the complaints in each of the identified actions contain only allegations of unlawful police conduct by large groups of officers, and did not set forth specific acts of misconduct against the police witness individually. Thus,...