People v. Wilkinson

• Decision Date: 08 July 2020
• Docket Number: Ind. No. 10–00082,2015–08132
• Citation: 185 A.D.3d 734,127 N.Y.S.3d 496
• Parties: The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent, v. Keith WILKINSON, Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

185 A.D.3d 734

127 N.Y.S.3d 496

The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent,

v.Keith WILKINSON, Appellant.

2015–08132

Ind. No. 10–00082

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

Submitted—September 26, 2019

July 8, 2020

Thomas T. Keating, Dobbs Ferry, NY, for appellant, and appellant pro se.

Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr., District Attorney, White Plains, N.Y. (Raffaelina Gianfrancesco and Steven A. Bender of counsel), for respondent.

ALAN D. SCHEINKMAN, P.J., HECTOR D. LASALLE, VALERIE BRATHWAITE NELSON, ANGELA G. IANNACCI, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Barbara A. Zambelli, J.), rendered August 11, 2015, convicting him of murder in the second degree (two counts), robbery in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, and assault in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

ORDERED that the judgment is modified, on the law, by providing that the sentence imposed upon the conviction of burglary in the first degree shall run concurrently with the sentence imposed upon the conviction of assault in the second degree; as so modified, the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant was previously convicted, inter alia, of two counts of murder in the second degree, after a jury trial. That judgment of conviction was reversed by this Court and a new trial was ordered (see People v. Wilkinson, 120 A.D.3d 521, 990 N.Y.S.2d 270 ). After the second jury trial, the defendant was convicted of murder in the second degree (two counts), robbery in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, and assault in the second degree.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 621, 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 ; People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672 ). Moreover, upon our independent review pursuant to CPL 470.15(5), we are satisfied that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 643–644, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902 ).

Prior to the defendant's second trial, the Supreme Court conducted a Sirois hearing (see People v. Sirois, 92 A.D.2d 618, 459 N.Y.S.2d 813 ; Matter of Holtzman v. Hellenbrand, 92 A.D.2d 405, 460 N.Y.S.2d 591 ) to determine whether certain testimony elicited at the defendant's first trial would be admitted at the second trial because the defendant's misconduct induced two witnesses to be unavailable to testify at the second trial. The court determined that the sworn testimony of Marlon Nelson from the defendant's first trial would be admitted at the second trial and limited the defendant's cross-examination of Dania Sayers at the second trial regarding her failure to recall during the first trial.

Prior testimony of a witness may be admitted as direct evidence at trial where the witness is unavailable, or is unwilling to testify, or is influenced to give false trial testimony, thereby being rendered effectively unavailable (see People v. Smart, 23 N.Y.3d 213, 220, 989 N.Y.S.2d 631, 12 N.E.3d 1061 ; People v. Geraci, 85 N.Y.2d 359, 366, 625 N.Y.S.2d 469, 649 N.E.2d 817 ). The evidence must establish that the witness's unavailability or unwillingness was procured by intentional misconduct on the part of the defendant which was aimed at preventing the witness from testifying truthfully (see People v. Smart, 23 N.Y.3d at 220, 989 N.Y.S.2d 631, 12 N.E.3d 1061 ; People v. Geraci, 85 N.Y.2d at 366, 625 N.Y.S.2d 469, 649 N.E.2d 817 ). The People bear the burden of establishing at the Sirois hearing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant engaged in conduct aimed at preventing the witness from testifying and caused that witness's decision not to testify or to plead the Fifth Amendment (see People v. McCune, 98 A.D.3d 631, 632, 949 N.Y.S.2d 747 ). " ‘Recognizing the surreptitious nature of witness tampering and that a defendant engaging in such conduct will rarely do so openly, resorting instead to subterfuge, the court can rely on and the prosecution can use circumstantial evidence in making the requisite determination’ " ( People v. Leggett, 107 A.D.3d 741, 742, 966 N.Y.S.2d 219, quoting People v. Encarnacion, 87 A.D.3d 81, 87, 926 N.Y.S.2d 446 ; see People v. Geraci, 85 N.Y.2d at 369, 625 N.Y.S.2d 469, 649 N.E.2d 817 ). Misconduct is defined "broadly to include intimidation and bribery, threats, and the use of a relationship to improperly procure a witness's silence" ( People v. Encarnacion, 87 A.D.3d at 86, 926 N.Y.S.2d 446 [citation omitted]; see People v. Jernigan, 41 A.D.3d 331, 332, 838 N.Y.S.2d 81 ).

We agree with the Supreme Court's determination that the People established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant's intentional misconduct during the first trial resulted in Nelson being unavailable to testify at the second trial and caused Sayers's failure to recall at the first trial because of her concern for the safety of herself and her family (see People v. Smart, 23 N.Y.3d at 220, 989 N.Y.S.2d 631, 12 N.E.3d 1061 ; People v. Geraci, 85 N.Y.2d at 366, 625 N.Y.S.2d 469, 649 N.E.2d 817 ).

With regard to Nelson, the evidence demonstrated that the defendant was both directly and indirectly responsible for procuring Nelson's absence at the second trial as a result of shots having been fired at Nelson's car, and threats having been made about kidnaping his son and that Nelson should leave the state.

With regard to Sayers, the evidence showed that the defendant had physically abused her repeatedly in the past and had threatened to kill her and/or her grandmother if she testified. To allow the defendant to impeach Sayers with her testimony from the first trial regarding her failure to recall would reward the defendant for his intimidation of her (see People v. Bosier, 6 N.Y.3d 523, 528, 814 N.Y.S.2d 584, 847 N.E.2d 1158 ). Importantly, during the second trial, the defendant had a full opportunity to cross-examine Sayers using her grand jury testimony and her prior written statements, which included letters and emails sent by Sayers. In fact, at the second trial, defense counsel, during his cross-examination of Sayers, opened the door for Sayers to explain that her prior inconsistent statements were prompted by her fear of the defendant. Defense counsel even elicited testimony from Sayers regarding her prior testimony and that she feared for her safety because of the defendant.

In any event, an alleged violation of a defendant's right to confrontation is subject to harmless error analysis (see Cruz v. New York, 481 U.S. 186, 194, 107 S.Ct. 1714, 95 L.Ed.2d 162 ; People v. Hardy, 4 N.Y.3d 192, 791 N.Y.S.2d 513, 824 N.E.2d 953 ). Here, there was overwhelming evidence of the defendant's guilt, and there was no reasonable possibility that any error in curtailing the defendant's ability to fully cross-examine Sayers regarding her testimony from the first trial affected the jury's verdict (see People v. Douglas, 4 N.Y.3d 777, 779, 793 N.Y.S.2d 825, 826 N.E.2d 796 ). In fact, had the defendant been able to further impeach Sayers at the second trial with her testimony that she did not recall at the first trial, any inconsistencies could easily be explained by Sayers testifying that she feared for her safety at the time of the first trial, thereby further bolstering the People's case. Accordingly, any claimed error with regard to the cross-examination of Sayers was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt (see id. at 779, 793 N.Y.S.2d 825, 826 N.E.2d 796 ).

To the extent that any of the prosecutor's summation comments were improper, they were not so flagrant or pervasive as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial (see People v. Williams, 147 A.D.3d 983, 984, 47 N.Y.S.3d 421 ; People v. Fields, 115 A.D.3d 673, 674, 981 N.Y.S.2d 538 ).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, the testimony of fellow inmates concerning the defendant's threats to kidnap and/or kill witnesses was properly admitted as evidence of the defendant's consciousness of guilt of the murder (see People v. Viera, 133 A.D.3d 622, 624, 18 N.Y.S.3d 706 ; People v. Green, 92 A.D.3d 953, 954, 939 N.Y.S.2d 520 ).

The defendant's contention that his right to present a defense was curtailed, based on the Supreme Court's limitation of the cross-examination of two witnesses regarding...