People v. Labagh

• Decision Date: 04 June 2013
• Citation: 971 N.Y.S.2d 386,40 Misc.3d 54,2013 N.Y. Slip Op. 23191
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Michael R. LABAGH, Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

40 Misc.3d 54

971 N.Y.S.2d 386

2013 N.Y. Slip Op. 23191

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,

v.Michael R. LABAGH, Appellant.

Supreme Court, Appellate Term, New York. 9th and 10th Judicial Districts.

June 4, 2013.

Francis D. Phillips, II, District Attorney, Middletown (Andrew R. Kass of counsel), for respondent.

Larkin, Axelrod, Ingrassia & Tetenbaum, LLP, Newburgh (Kathleen V. Wells of counsel), for appellant.

PRESENT: NICOLAI, P.J., IANNACCI and TOLBERT, JJ.

Appeal from judgments of the Justice Court of the Town of Hamptonburgh, Orange County (Edward P. Suoto, J.), rendered October 26, 2011. The judgments convicted defendant, after a nonjury trial, of criminal contempt in the second degree and harassment in the second degree, respectively.

ORDERED that the judgment convicting defendant of criminal contempt in the second degree is reversed, on the law, and the matter is remitted to the Justice Court for a new trial on that charge; and it is further,

ORDERED that the judgment convicting defendant of harassment in the second degree is affirmed.

In separate accusatory instruments, defendant was charged with criminal contempt in the second degree (Penal Law § 215.50[3] ) and harassment in the second degree (Penal Law § 240.26[3] ), respectively. Following a nonjury trial, defendant was convicted of both charges. On appeal, defendant contends that the information charging him with criminal contempt in the second degree was jurisdictionally defective because it failed to contain a nonhearsay allegation that there was an order of protection in effect at the time of the incident and failed to allege that he had knowledge of the order; and that both judgments of conviction should be reversed because, among other things, the jury waiver was not properly executed, the evidence was legally insufficient, and the verdicts were against the weight of the evidence.

Inasmuch as defendant failed to move to dismiss the information charging him with criminal contempt in the second degree on the ground that it failed to contain a nonhearsay allegation that an order of protection was in effect, his contention with respect thereto has been waived ( see People v. Casey, 95 N.Y.2d 354, 717 N.Y.S.2d 88, 740 N.E.2d 233 [2000] ). The essential elements of criminal contempt in the second degree are that a lawful order of the court was in effect and was clearly expressed, that the defendant had knowledge of its provisions (although not necessarily through actual service of the order) and that the defendant intentionally disobeyed it ( see Matter of McCormick v. Axelrod, 59 N.Y.2d 574, 583, 466 N.Y.S.2d 279, 453 N.E.2d 508 [1983] ). Defendant contends that the information failed to allege that he had knowledge of the order of protection. However, a copy of the order of protection was annexed to the information ( see People v. Konieczny, 2 N.Y.3d 569, 780 N.Y.S.2d 546, 813 N.E.2d 626 [2004] ). This order stated that defendant was present in court when the order was issued, and that the court had informed defendant of the issuance of the order. Upon these facts, it can be inferred that defendant had knowledge of the order of protection ( see People v. Inserra, 4 N.Y.3d 30, 33, 790 N.Y.S.2d 72, 823 N.E.2d 437 [2004] ). Consequently, we find that the information charging defendant with criminal contempt in the second degree was not jurisdictionally defective, as it was sufficiently detailed so that a defendant could prepare himself for trial and that he could not be tried again for the same offense ( see People v. Konieczny, 2 N.Y.3d at 575, 780 N.Y.S.2d 546, 813 N.E.2d 626;People v. Casey, 95 N.Y.2d at 360, 717 N.Y.S.2d 88, 740 N.E.2d 233).

At the close of all the evidence, defendant moved for a “directed verdict” only on the charge of criminal contempt in the second degree. Therefore, defendant's challenge to the legal sufficiency of the evidence in regard to the harassment in the second degree charge is unpreserved for appellate review ( seeCPL 470.05[2]; People v. Hawkins, 11 N.Y.3d 484, 491–492, 872 N.Y.S.2d 395, 900 N.E.2d 946 [2008];People v. Hines, 97 N.Y.2d 56, 61, 736 N.Y.S.2d 643, 762 N.E.2d 329 [2001];People v. Gray, 86 N.Y.2d 10, 629 N.Y.S.2d 173, 652 N.E.2d 919 [1995] ). In any event, we find that the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the People ( see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 621, 467 N.Y.S.2d 349, 454 N.E.2d 932 [1983] ), was legally sufficient to establish defendant's guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt, of both criminal contempt in the second degree and harassment in the second degree. The factfinder had before him evidence that, among other things, defendant had knowledge of the protective order which directed him to stay at least 1,000 feet away from his wife and to refrain from harassing his wife. The evidence adduced at trial also showed that, while in a park, defendant had driven over to his wife's Jeep, next to which his wife was standing, and stared at her; that defendant then drove away and immediately returned to the Jeep, where he waited inside of his truck after his wife had gotten into her sister's vehicle; and that defendant then drove over to the sister's vehicle, stopped, and stared at the sister. The foregoing evidence sufficed to establish that defendant had intentionally violated the protective order. Defendant's course of conduct, which was performed with the requisite intent to annoy, harass or alarm his wife, “readily permits characterization as a continuing offense over a period of time” ( People v. Shack, 86 N.Y.2d 529, 540, 634 N.Y.S.2d 660, 658 N.E.2d 706 [1995];see alsoPenal Law § 240.26 [3]; People v. Curko, 34 Misc.3d 159[A], 2012 N.Y. Slip Op. 50444[U], 2012 WL 762588 [App. Term, 9th & 10th Jud. Dists. 2012];People v. Tralli, 88 Misc.2d 117, 387 N.Y.S.2d 37 [App. Term, 9th & 10th Jud. Dists. 1976] ). Furthermore, upon a review of the record, we are satisfied that the verdicts were not against the weight of the evidence ( see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 643–646, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902 [2006] ).

The judgment convicting defendant of criminal contempt in the second degree, however, must be reversed because defendant's waiver of a jury trial with respect thereto was ineffective. Criminal Procedure Law section 320.10 states, in pertinent part, that a defendant

“may at any time before trial waive a jury trial and consent to a trial without a jury ... Such waiver must be in writing and

must be signed by the defendant in person in open court in the presence of the court and with the approval of the court.”

While the statutory language provides that the waiver be made “before trial,” courts have generally upheld waivers executed early in the proceedings, as long as the waivers are made knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently ( see e.g. People v. Thomas, 292 A.D.2d 550, 739 N.Y.S.2d 279 [2002];People v. Rodriguez, 186 A.D.2d 63, 588 N.Y.S.2d 148 [1992];People v. Satcher, 144 A.D.2d 992, 534 N.Y.S.2d 618 [1988] ). In the case at bar, the purported waiver was invalid because defendant executed the waiver after the People had rested, and the Justice Court did not advise defendant of his absolute right to a mistrial or a retrial before a jury, and did not warn defendant of the...