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People v. Allen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Feb 3, 1989
147 A.D.2d 968 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)

Opinion

February 3, 1989

Appeal from the Onondaga County Court, Mordue, J.

Present — Callahan, J.P., Doerr, Green, Pine and Lawton, JJ.


Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: Defendant contends that the trial court erred in failing to suppress his statement to the police. On the eve of trial, without notice to the People, defendant moved to suppress his videotaped interview by the police. The motion specifically requested the court to review portions of the videotape to determine if defendant's right to remain silent and right to counsel had been violated. It further requested the court to determine whether a hearing was necessary. The court reviewed the specific portions of the tape requested and denied the motion, finding that the defendant did not invoke his constitutional rights.

The suppression court's conclusion in this regard is entitled to great weight (see, People v Hartley, 103 A.D.2d 935, affd 65 N.Y.2d 703) and, from our review of the videotape, we fully agree with the suppression court's determination. Defendant's statement to the police, "ain't nothing I got to tell you", when viewed in context, does not rise to the level of an invocation of his right to remain silent or notify the police to cease the interview (see, People v Davis, 91 A.D.2d 1191). Further, on appeal defendant does not assert that the court erred in determining that he did not request counsel.

Defendant additionally contends that his statement should be suppressed because it was, in part, the product of a custodial interrogation without Miranda warnings. Because this issue was not specifically raised before the trial court, it has not been preserved for our review (see, People v Martin, 50 N.Y.2d 1029, 1031; People v Tutt, 38 N.Y.2d 1011, 1012-1013). Were we to reach the merits of this issue, we would conclude that prior to the time defendant was given his Miranda warnings, a reasonable person, innocent of wrongdoing, would not have thought he was in custody (People v Yukl, 25 N.Y.2d 585, cert denied 400 U.S. 851; People v Johnson, 91 A.D.2d 327, affd 61 N.Y.2d 932). Further, given the timing and limited nature of defendant's request, the court properly denied the motion without a hearing.

We have reviewed defendant's remaining contentions and find them to be without merit.


Summaries of

People v. Allen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Feb 3, 1989
147 A.D.2d 968 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
Case details for

People v. Allen

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. HUBERT ALLEN, Appellant

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department

Date published: Feb 3, 1989

Citations

147 A.D.2d 968 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
537 N.Y.S.2d 415

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