People v. Massey

• Decision Date: 28 June 2019
• Docket Number: KA 09–00914,46
• Citation: People v. Massey, 173 A.D.3d 1801, 105 N.Y.S.3d 637 (N.Y. App. Div. 2019)
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Terrol MASSEY, Defendant–Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

173 A.D.3d 1801

105 N.Y.S.3d 637

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,

v.Terrol MASSEY, Defendant–Appellant.

46

KA 09–00914

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

Entered: June 28, 2019

THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (BARBARA J. DAVIES OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT–APPELLANT.

TERROL MASSEY, DEFENDANT–APPELLANTPRO SE.

JOHN J. FLYNN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BUFFALO (MATTHEW B. POWERS OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.

PRESENT: WHALEN, P.J., SMITH, PERADOTTO, DEJOSEPH, AND WINSLOW, JJ.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

It is hereby ORDERED that the case is held, the decision is reserved and the matter is remitted to Supreme Court, Erie County, for further proceedings in accordance with the following memorandum: On appeal from a judgment convicting him upon a jury verdict of, inter alia, murder in the second degree ( Penal Law § 125.25[1] ) and conspiracy in the second degree (§ 105.15), defendant contends in his main brief that Supreme Court erred in denying his Batson challenge to the prosecutor's use of a peremptory challenge (seeBatson v. Kentucky , 476 U.S. 79, 94–98, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69[1986] ).Defendant failed to preserve for our review his contention "concerning the court's procedure for determining his Batson objection"( People v. Schumaker , 136 A.D.3d 1369, 1371, 25 N.Y.S.3d 487[4th Dept.2016], lv denied27 N.Y.3d 1075, 38 N.Y.S.3d 845, 60 N.E.3d 1211[2016], reconsideration denied28 N.Y.3d 974, 43 N.Y.S.3d 261, 66 N.E.3d 7[2016];seePeople v. Collins , 63 A.D.3d 1609, 1610, 880 N.Y.S.2d 828[4th Dept.2009], lv denied13 N.Y.3d 795, 887 N.Y.S.2d 544, 916 N.E.2d 439[2009];People v. Parker , 304 A.D.2d 146, 156, 755 N.Y.S.2d 521[4th Dept.2003], lv denied100 N.Y.2d 585, 764 N.Y.S.2d 396, 796 N.E.2d 488[2003] ).Furthermore, defendant's contention that the reasons that the prosecutor gave for striking a prospective juror in response to his Batson challenge were pretextual is also unpreserved inasmuch as defendant"failed to articulate ... any reason why he believed that the prosecutor's explanations were pretextual"( People v. Santiago , 272 A.D.2d 418, 418, 707 N.Y.S.2d 906[2d Dept.2000], lv denied95 N.Y.2d 907, 716 N.Y.S.2d 648, 739 N.E.2d 1153[2000];seePeople v. Smocum , 99 N.Y.2d 418, 423–424, 757 N.Y.S.2d 239, 786 N.E.2d 1275[2003];People v. Cooley , 48 A.D.3d 1091, 1092, 851 N.Y.S.2d 771[4th Dept.2008], lv denied10 N.Y.3d 861, 860 N.Y.S.2d 487, 890 N.E.2d 250[2008] ).We decline to exercise our power to review those contentions as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice (seeCPL 470.15[6][a] ).

We reject defendant's further contention in his main brief that the court erred in denying his request for a missing witness charge with respect to two nontestifying codefendants who had entered pleas of guilty.Although the prosecutor did not call those two codefendants to testify, it is well settled that "the mere failure to produce a witness at trial, standing alone, is insufficient to justify the charge.Rather, it must be shown that the uncalled witness is knowledgeable about a material issue upon which evidence is already in the case; that the witness would naturally be expected to provide noncumulative testimony favorable to the party who has not called him [or her], and that the witness is available to such party"( People v. Gonzalez , 68 N.Y.2d 424, 427, 509 N.Y.S.2d 796, 502 N.E.2d 583[1986] ).

"The burden, in the first instance, is upon the party seeking the charge to promptly notify the court that there is an uncalled witness believed to be knowledgeable about a material issue pending in the case, that such witness can be expected to testify favorably to the opposing party and that such party has failed to call him [or her] to testify"( id.;seePeople v. Smith , 33 N.Y.3d 454, ––––, 104 N.Y.S.3d 572, 128 N.E.3d 649, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 04447, *2[2019] ).If a defendant shows that those factors are present, the People then bear the burden of demonstrating that the charge would not be appropriate (seeSmith , 33 N.Y.3d at ––––, 104 N.Y.S.3d 572, 128 N.E.3d 649, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 04447, *2;Gonzalez , 68 N.Y.2d at 428, 509 N.Y.S.2d 796, 502 N.E.2d 583 ).That burden " ‘can be met by demonstrating,’ among other things, that ‘the testimony would be cumulative to other evidence’ "(Smith , 33 N.Y.3d at ––––, 104 N.Y.S.3d 572, 128 N.E.3d 649, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 04447, *2 ).Here, we conclude that, after defendant met his initial burden by demonstrating that the relevant three factors were present (seeGonzalez , 68 N.Y.2d at 427, 509 N.Y.S.2d 796, 502 N.E.2d 583 ), the court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant's request upon concluding that the People demonstrated that the two witnesses in question would provide only cumulative testimony (seePeople v. Butler , 140 A.D.3d 1610, 1611–1612, 33 N.Y.S.3d 602[4th Dept.2016], lv denied28 N.Y.3d 969, 43 N.Y.S.3d 257, 66 N.E.3d 3[2016];People v. Goossens , 92 A.D.3d 1281, 1282, 938 N.Y.S.2d 485[4th Dept.2012], lv denied19 N.Y.3d 960, 950 N.Y.S.2d 112, 973 N.E.2d 210[2012] ).Moreover, such testimony "would [have been]‘presumptively suspect’ ... or subject to impeachment detrimental to the People's case"( People v. Arnold , 298 A.D.2d 895, 895, 748 N.Y.S.2d 92[4th Dept.2002], lv denied99 N.Y.2d 580, 755 N.Y.S.2d 715, 785 N.E.2d 737[2003];seePeople v. Parton , 26 A.D.3d 868, 869, 808 N.Y.S.2d 531[4th Dept.2006], lv denied7 N.Y.3d 760, 819 N.Y.S.2d 886, 853 N.E.2d 257[2006] ).

We also reject defendant's contention in his main brief that the court erred in refusing to suppress the statements that he made to the police on the ground that the police violated his right to counsel by using trickery to prevent him from speaking to his parents.Although defendant is correct that a statement made by a 17 year old is subject to suppression if it is obtained after the police "have sealed off the most likely avenue by which the assistance of counsel may reach [that person] by means of deception and trickery"( People v. Townsend , 33 N.Y.2d 37, 41, 347 N.Y.S.2d 187, 300 N.E.2d 722[1973];see alsoPeople v. Bevilacqua , 45 N.Y.2d 508, 513, 410 N.Y.S.2d 549, 382 N.E.2d 1326[1978] ), suppression is not required on that ground where "there is no indication that he was threatened or coerced or that the police unlawfully isolated him from supportive adults who attempted to see him"( People v. Tompkins , 66 A.D.3d 1373, 1373, 885 N.Y.S.2d 667[4th Dept.2009], lv denied15 N.Y.3d 758, 906 N.Y.S.2d 831, 933 N.E.2d 230[2010];see generallyPeople v. Huff , 133 A.D.3d 1223, 1225, 19 N.Y.S.3d 378[4th Dept.2015], lv denied27 N.Y.3d 999, 38 N.Y.S.3d 109, 59 N.E.3d 1221[2016] ).Here, defendant failed to demonstrate that the police employed any " ‘official deception or trickery’ " to prevent him from speaking with his parents ( People v. Martin , 39 A.D.3d 1213, 1213, 833 N.Y.S.2d 805[4th Dept.2007], lv denied9 N.Y.3d 878, 842 N.Y.S.2d 790, 874 N.E.2d 757[2007] ), and he is therefore not entitled, on that basis, "to the suppression of the statements that he made to the police after asking to [do so]"( People v. Harvey,70 A.D.3d 1454, 1455, 894 N.Y.S.2d 622[4th Dept.2010], lv denied15 N.Y.3d 750, 906 N.Y.S.2d 823, 933 N.E.2d 222[2010] ).

Defendant further contends in his main brief that the court violated Judiciary Law § 21 because the Justice who decided that part of his omnibus motion seeking to suppress his statements to the police (Wolfgang, J.) was not the Justice who heard the testimony at the suppression hearing (Forma, J.).We reject that contention.Pursuant to the statute, a judge or justice "shall not decide or take part in the decision of a question, which was argued orally in the court, when he[or she] was not present and sitting therein" as a judge or justice (id.;see generallyMatter of Connelly–Logal v. West , 272 A.D.2d 920, 920, 708 N.Y.S.2d 225[4th Dept.2000] ).Furthermore, "[i]t has been made clear that [ section 21 ] applies not only to oral argument of motions, but to the taking of testimony, and violation is a defect so fundamental that it cannot be waived"( People v. Cameron , 194 A.D.2d 438, 438, 599 N.Y.S.2d 256[1st Dept.1993] ).Nevertheless, where a judge or justice replaces another judge or justice in the midst of litigation, the Court of Appeals"interprets section 21 by looking at whether the replacement judge [or justice] will be asked to make factual determinations, as opposed to reaching legal conclusions, and overall fairness"( People v. Hampton , 21 N.Y.3d 277, 285, 970 N.Y.S.2d 716, 992 N.E.2d 1059[2013] ).

Here, the first Justice heard the testimony at the hearing, but then made detailed findings of fact, encompassing five pages of hearing transcript.The second Justice explicitly stated that she was familiar with the proceedings, had reviewed the transcript from the hearing, and adopted the first Justice's findings of fact in their entirety.Although a single witness testified after the first Justice made his findings of fact, the second Justice did not, by determining that the testimony of that witness was credible, violate section 21 under the unique circumstances of this case.Notably, that witness was called by defendant, and defendant suffered no prejudice from the credibility determination, which was entirely in his favor.Thus, because the second Justice determined that the testimony of that witness did not require suppression of defendant's statements, we conclude that "purely legal questions were involved"( Plunkett v. Emergency Med. Serv. of N.Y. City , 234 A.D.2d 162, 163, 651 N.Y.S.2d 462[1st Dept.1996];seeHampton , 21 N.Y.3d at 285, 970 N.Y.S.2d 716, 992 N.E.2d 1059 ), and "overall fairness" is served by permitting the second Justice to determine the legal ramifications of that witness's testimony ( Hampton , 21 N.Y.3d at 285, 970 N.Y.S.2d 716, 992 N.E.2d 1059 ).

Defendant further...