People v. Guerra

• Decision Date: 09 May 1985
• Parties: , 478 N.E.2d 1319 The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Louis GUERRA, Appellant.
• Court: New York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals

Page 718

489 N.Y.S.2d 718

65 N.Y.2d 60, 478 N.E.2d 1319

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Louis GUERRA, Appellant.

Court of Appeals of New York.

May 9, 1985.

Gerald B. Lefcourt and Erica Horwitz, New York City, for appellant.

Robert M. Morgenthau, Dist. Atty., New York City (John Latella and Robert M. Pitler, New York City, of counsel), for respondent.

OPINION OF THE COURT

PER CURIAM.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

The defendant pleaded guilty after the denial of his motion to suppress evidence seized pursuant to an eavesdropping warrant. The Appellate Division affirmed, without opinion (100 A.D.2d 982, 474 N.Y.S.2d 157).

On this appeal the defendant argues that a number of errors were committed in connection with the motion to suppress. Only two points warrant discussion.

First the defendant argues that the court denied his motion to suppress without considering the merits of his contention that the warrant application did not establish probable cause. The defendant notes that the suppression court expressed some reluctance to review the probable cause determination made by the Judge who issued the warrant, a Justice of coordinate jurisdiction (CPL 700.05). This concern was unfounded. By statute the court had jurisdiction to entertain the defendant's motion to suppress (CPL 710.50) and could not summarily deny it simply because the warrant had been issued by another Justice of the court (CPL 710.60 cf. Matter of De Joy v. Zittell, 67 A.D.2d 1076, 413 N.Y.S.2d 526). Although the Judge who issued the warrant had determined that probable cause existed, the law of the case doctrine did not preclude the defendant from seeking to have that determination reviewed in the context of a motion to suppress submitted to another Judge of that court. The warrant was an ex parte order and the law of the case doctrine does not prevent the defendant from challenging a determination which he had no opportunity to litigate at the time it was made (21 CJS, Courts, § 195, at 334-335; Levy v. Paramount Publix Corp., 149 Misc. 129, 266 N.Y.S. 271, affd. 241 App.Div. 711, 269 N.Y.S. 997, affd. 265 N.Y. 629, 193 N.E. 418; People v. Martin, 97 Misc.2d 441, 411 N.Y.S.2d 822, revd. on other grounds 71 A.D.2d 928, 419 N.Y.S.2d 724). To the extent that People v. Romney, 77 A.D.2d 482, 433 N.Y.S.2d 941, holds to the contrary it is erroneous and should not be followed.

However, the defendant is mistaken in his belief that the court rejected his probable cause argument on this procedural ground. The record shows that despite the initial reluctance the court did entertain the motion on the merits and concluded that probable cause was not lacking.

Second, the defendant urges that the suppression court erred in concluding that the police did not violate his constitutional rights by using a pen register on his telephone line without a warrant. Evidence obtained in this manner was later included in the application for the eavesdropping warrant. The defendant concedes that the use of the pen register did not violate his rights under the 4th Amendment (Smith...