Criminal Procedure

Published on: January 27, 2013

Drug Crime Defendants Claim There is Insufficient Evidence Against Them

by Stephen Bilkis

The DEA along with the local Sherriff’s Department started a joint investigation of what was believed to be to be a cocaine trafficking organization. A New York Criminal Lawyer said the investigation focused on a local restaurant and its owner. The investigators believed that the owner of the restaurant was the leader of the organization that purchased powder cocaine and crack as well as marijuana (marijuana possession). These suspicions were confirmed when confidential informants made several drug purchases at the restaurant. The owner refused to sell to one of the informants, but his son sold to the informant and the owner watched the transaction take place.

The task force began to accumulate evidence against the owner of the restaurant as well as many of his customers over the years. Several individuals were arrested in the central part of the state for possession of numerous controlled substances and identified the restaurant as where they received the drugs.

After a while participants in the drug ring started to turn on the organization. A Brooklyn Criminal Lawyer said the first individual told officials that crack cocaine was dealt at the restaurant and the main person was the owner. He told officers that he along with another man, and the girlfriend of the owner worked directly for the restaurant owner. Other people came forward and confirmed this story.

Published on: January 26, 2013

Court Weighs Plaintiffs Injuries Against Applicable Insurance Law

by Stephen Bilkis

A motion by the accused woman for an order awarding her summary judgment dismissing the claims of the complainant that she did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law is granted.

A cross-motion by the complainant husband for an order awarding him summary judgment dismissing the accused woman’s counterclaim as defendant was solely liable for the happening of the accident is also granted.

A New York Criminal Lawyer said that viewing the evidence most favorably to the accused, it is nevertheless uncontroverted that the impact between the vehicle driven by the complainant husband and the vehicle driven by the accused woman took place while the complainant husband was stopped and waiting to cross over the double yellow lines to turn into his own driveway. Moreover, the accused woman was concededly drinking prior to the accident and was arrested for drunk driving following the accident. She also pled guilty to DWI and was traveling at approximately 20 miles per hour with her foot on the gas at the time of impact. At best, the accused struck the complainant’s vehicle without crossing over the double yellow lines into the complainant’s lane and instead struck the complainant’s stopped vehicle while both vehicles were pretty much right on the line.

Published on: January 26, 2013

Court Weights Constitutionality of Sentencing for a Felony in the Third Degree

by Stephen Bilkis

The Florida state filed an appeal placing in issue the constitutionality of the provisions of law pertaining to the inclusion of prior convictions in the charging information. This was due to the ruling of the circuit court, wherein the appellees who were charged and found guilty of petit larceny and they have already been previously convicted of such crime twice. A New York Criminal Lawyer said the court granted the motion to dismiss filed by the accused on the ground that such charges were unconstitutional which deprived the defendants’ due process and equal protection of the law. The court granted the motion, thus, the appeal was made by the state.

The issue before the court is the constitutionality of the provision of law where “upon the third or subsequent conviction for petit larceny, the offender shall be guilty of a felony in the third degree.” A New York Criminal Lawyer said this was a distinct substantive offense that can be distinguished from the statute on being considered a criminal habitual offender. Both statutory provisions provide harsher punishments for a repeated offender. As habitual offender, the previous offense shall serve as the basis of an increased penalty while the other law makes the prior offense part of the elements of the present offense charged against the felon, which must be specifically alleged and proved during trial. In the latter case, the jury must provide judgment as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant based on the existence of facts related to prior conviction or convictions and return a verdict as to both.

The court pointed out several cases to sustain the action of the trial judge in submitting before the jury the judgment as to the verdict of the present offense charged and as to the historical fact of prior conviction. Furthermore, a New York Drug Possession Lawyer said the jury is under obligation to come up with specific findings of the facts in said former convictions.

Published on: January 24, 2013

Court Discusses Act of Depraved Indifference in Murder Trial

by Stephen Bilkis

On July 1, 2005, after spending several hours in a bar in Manhattan, at which he consumed at least six beers, the defendant attended a friend’s party in Merrick in Nassau County. He arrived at the party, which consisted of a small gathering of his friends. The house where the party was being held was approximately a five-minute drive from the Meadowbrook State Parkway. At the party, the defendant was seen consuming several alcoholic drinks. Two of the defendant’s friends who were at the party described the defendant as intoxicated or “buzzed.” However, neither one observed the defendant stumbling or staggering while he was dancing, nor was he observed to be slurring his words. A Bronx DWI Lawyer said that, the defendant remained at the party for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before leaving in his pickup truck. Despite having previously received offers to sleep over or utilize a designated driver rather than drive after drinking, the defendant chose to get into his pickup truck and drive while intoxicated.

A Bronx DWI Lawyer said that, the defendant was driving the wrong way in the southbound lanes of the Meadowbrook State Parkway, a limousine was proceeding south in the left southbound lane of the Meadowbrook State Parkway. The limousine encountered the pickup truck headed directly towards it just north of the Babylon Turnpike overpass. The limousine was carrying a family, consisting of their two daughters, seven-year-old and five-year-old, and the parents, back home from a wedding. The pickup truck collided head-on with the limousine, apparently having tracked the limousine’s movement, crushing and killing the other passenger, decapitating the seven-year-old passenger in the limousine, and causing severe, and, in some instances, life-threatening, injuries to the remaining passengers in the limousine.

A Bronx Drunk Driving Lawyer said that, the defendant was placed under arrest at the scene, and was later informed of his arrest by the Investigator of the New York State Police. Upon being so advised, the defendant told the police that from the time he had moved to New York from Arkansas the previous October, “everything was going wrong” and “nothing he did was ever enough.” The defendant recounted to the police that he had argued with his ex-girlfriend over the phone, had financial problems, had recently lost his grandmother with whom he had been close, and was very upset, depressed, and in a “self-destructive mode.”

Published on: January 24, 2013

Court Rules Upon Third Petit Theft Conviction, Offense is a Felony

by Stephen Bilkis

In a court proceeding, a man filed an appeal for his conviction and sentence for felony petit theft. He asserts that the subsection of the statue convicting him does not permit consideration of convictions for petit larceny.

A New York Criminal Lawyer said that based on records, petit theft is normally a misdemeanor and the law specifically provides that upon a third or subsequent conviction for petit theft, the offender shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree. Therefore, in order to be sentenced under the felony provisions, the offender must have been convicted twice previously with a petit theft (petit larceny) case. Yet, the trial court indicated that they considered two previous convictions of the man, one for petit larceny and one for attempted petit larceny, as the basis for the man’s enhanced sentence. Since the statute does not permit consideration of the attempted petit larceny conviction, the trial court erred in sentencing the man.

Consequently, the court finds no distinction between the two statutes for the purpose of sentencing. As a result, the court decided to reverse the sentence and remand the cause for resentencing.

Published on: January 24, 2013

In Consecutive Sentences it Depends on Whether the Acts Were Committed with the Requisite Intent

by Stephen Bilkis

An appeal was filed by the defendant who was convicted with the crimes of murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He alleged that the court erred in its decision to impose consecutive sentences for the indictments he committed claiming that the accused acted with a singular intent.

The Supreme Court, holding the recent decisions of the Court of Appeals, the determining factor to review the legality of consecutive sentences is “whether separate acts have been committed with the requisite criminal intent.” Consequently, the Court ruled that there was no overlap of the statutory elements of the crimes committed by the appellant, thus, affirming the lawful imposition of consecutive sentences.

A New York Criminal Lawyer said there were two resident gangs at Manhattan who had several altercations among its gang members. One group was composed of the defendant, his sibling and a friend while the other group was a street gang, whose two members were the victims in a shooting incident that caused filing of the felony case against the appellant. Several hours prior to the shooting confrontation, the two groups had encounters and thereafter physical altercations commenced among its gang members. One of the witnesses testified that she saw a gun being carried by the accused at that time of the altercation. After the lapse of a few hours, the defendant moved toward the victim, who was accompanied by other gang members. The group of the victim walked away from the offender to avoid any untoward incident. However, the defendant then took his gun from his shorts and chased down the victim and shot the two victims who died of gunshot wounds.

Published on: January 23, 2013

Court Looks at Complex Resentencing Issue for Defendant

by Stephen Bilkis

Defendant was convicted of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and on November 19, 2002 given an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment with a term of 2-6 years. A Bronx Drug Crime Lawyer said that, the People assert that the Defendant engaged in the sale of $350 of cocaine to an undercover police officer on two occasions and that on later date cocaine and drugs paraphernalia were recovered from the apartment where the sales took place. In addition to the instant offense, Defendant was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree and sentenced to time served in 2002, convicted of Invalid Use of a Credit Card with Intent to Defraud and sentenced to time served in 1999 and convicted of Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree and sentenced to four days in jail in 1998.

A New York DWI Lawyer said that, the Defendant was initially released to parole supervision on the instant offense. Parole violation warrants were issued for the Defendant. In these warrants, it was alleged that the Defendant had used cocaine and marijuana, failed to report to his parole officer on multiple occasions, left his approved residence and failed to attend two programs required by the Division of Parole. Defendant was re-incarcerated for a parole violation and continued to be in prison at the time the instant motion was filed. Defendant has been punished for one disciplinary infraction while in prison. That was a Tier 3 infraction on December 26, 2008 for violent conduct; fighting and disorderly conduct for which he received 30 days of keep lock time.

A New York DWI Lawyer said that, while incarcerated, Defendant successfully completed the drug crime treatment program and the Shock Incarceration program. He entered the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Program (“ASAT”) and continues to participate in the program, where he has received a number of positive reviews. He has received training or done work in a number of vocational areas and increased his grade levels in math and reading. Prior to prison, defendant served for eight years in the National Guard. A Bronx Criminal Lawyer said that, defendant moves to be resentenced pursuant to the Drugs Law Reform Act of 2009. That motion is opposed by the People. The People argue that the Defendant is ineligible for resentencing because he is currently incarcerated only by virtue of a parole violation. The Defendant contends that this fact does not bar resentencing.

Published on: January 23, 2013

Court Discusses Depraved Indifference to Murder Charge

by Stephen Bilkis

On May 11, 2004, a firefighter conducting a routine building inspection discovered the body of 42-year-old woman on the roof of a building in the Bronx. A New York Criminal Lawyer said the black plastic bag covered the woman’s head and was knotted tightly around her neck. When the body was found, she was barefooted, her sweatshirt pulled up over one of her breasts and her jeans unzipped and pulled partially down. One of two beaded necklaces around her neck was broken and beads were missing. After the plastic bag was peeled from her head, a wound above her right eyebrow and a bruise to her right cheek were noted.

The building at 187th Street is privately owned and used by the City of New York as a temporary housing facility. The defendant resided in the building until May 6, 2004. The hallway of each floor of the building is monitored by two video cameras. Videos in evidence depict the defendant approaching the dead woman and entering his apartment with her on May 5 at 9:08 p.m., stepping back into the hallway and looking at the video camera on May 6 at 2:30 a.m., and carrying the woman’s body to the roof on the same day at 10:40 a.m. Shortly thereafter, the defendant is seen leaving his apartment carrying a piece of white cloth and then reentering the apartment. Five minutes later, the defendant is seen leaving the building carrying his belongings in a black plastic bag. Beads matching those on the woman’s broken necklace were found scattered throughout the defendant’s apartment by a Detective on May 13. Bloodstains were also found on the bedroom wall and door. On May 18, the Detective took the defendant into custody and escorted him to the precinct. While in custody, the defendant made a series of statements of which five were handwritten and one videotaped.

According to the defendant’s statements, the woman accompanied him to his apartment after agreeing to have sex with him in exchange for crack cocaine and money. The defendant stated that during the evening the woman attacked him and he hit her in the head to protect himself. Thereafter the woman became quiet and the defendant fell asleep. The defendant stated that upon waking up the following morning, he heard the woman’s heartbeat, but he later denied hearing it. He added that the woman was bleeding and he placed the plastic bag on her head to stop the blood from spreading and because he couldn’t stand to look at her. Thereafter, he dumped the woman on the roof, gathered his possessions and vacated the building. A grand jury indicted him for the criminal acts of depraved indifference murder and manslaughter in the first degree.

Published on: January 23, 2013

Husband Accused of Lying Under Oath

by Stephen Bilkis

The complainant husband was granted an uncontested divorce from defendant-wife on the ground of constructive abandonment. This cause of action, often referred to as sexual abandonment, is perhaps the ground most widely used in proceedings where both sides agree to the divorce. A New York Criminal Lawyer said that as part of pleading his claim of sexual abandonment, the husband had to swear to the fact that he and his wife did not have sexual relations for over a year. The wife is attempting to use that statement to prevent her husband from seeking to establish that a child born during the course of the marriage, but conceived well after the date on which the parties allegedly stopped having sex, is actually his son.

The husband contends that irrespective of what he stated in the divorce pleadings, the child in question is in fact his child. He moves for an order directing that genetic marker testing be done so as to conclusively determine paternity. Upon such determination, he further seeks a declaration of paternity and the amendment of the divorce judgment to reflect that his son is the child of the marriage.

The wife opposes her husband’s motion in all regards. She points out that her husband, in his verified complaint for divorce, alleged that from August 1, 2006, onward she refused to have sexual relations with him. Thus, based on his own sworn statements, the wife contends that the child, who was not born until March 19, 2008, cannot possibly be his. A New York Criminal Lawyer said the wife further submits that if her husband is taking the position that the child is his child, this means that the sworn statements in his verified complaint concerning the lack of sexual relations must be untrue. With this regard, the wife cross moved for and order finding that her husband has committed perjury in the second degree.

Published on: January 23, 2013

Child Put in Foster Care After Severe Abuse

by Stephen Bilkis

Appellants are parents of three children and their parental custody was removed by the court, thus, the appeal was filed before the court for resolution.

In 1997, the father raped her 8-year old daughter during the time that his wife and two sons were asleep at the living room of their apartment. A New York Sex Crimes Lawyer said the child victim went to her mother holding herself tightly and bleeding from her vagina. The mother let her daughter take a shower, placed a sanitary pad to her daughter’s bleeding vagina and made her sleep in bed. The mother did not seek the medical assistance for her daughter as suggested by her husband. After a while, their daughter, being a rape victim, started complaining about stomach cramps and she continue to bleed and vomited.

Upon seeking medical treatment, the parents told a different story about what happened to their daughter and concealed the real story of what happened to their child. A New York Sex Crimes Lawyer said their daughter continued to bleed profusely. The mother even knew of a prior sodomy of her husband toward her daughter and also her husband’s mother accused him of a sex crime of his younger sister. Her daughter underwent operation and was confined in the hospital for ten days.