Opinion
437 KA 18-00511
04-30-2021
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Jaquan HILL, Defendant-Appellant.
THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (JANE I. YOON OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (JANE I. YOON OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
PRESENT: SMITH, J.P., PERADOTTO, NEMOYER, CURRAN, AND DEJOSEPH, JJ.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.
Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him upon a guilty plea of attempted promoting prison contraband in the first degree ( Penal Law §§ 110.00, 205.25 [1] ). As an initial matter, we agree with defendant that his waiver of the right to appeal is invalid (see People v. Thomas , 34 N.Y.3d 545, 565-566, 122 N.Y.S.3d 226, 144 N.E.3d 970 [2019], cert denied ––– U.S. ––––, 140 S. Ct. 2634, 206 L.Ed.2d 512 [2020] ; People v. Biaselli , 191 A.D.3d 1400, 1401, 138 N.Y.S.3d 397 [4th Dept. 2021] ; People v. Wasyl , 186 A.D.3d 1071, 1071, 127 N.Y.S.3d 357 [4th Dept. 2020] ; People v. Baxter , 185 A.D.3d 1452, 1452, 125 N.Y.S.3d 600 [4th Dept. 2020], lv denied 35 N.Y.3d 1092, 131 N.Y.S.3d 289, 155 N.E.3d 782 [2020] ). Contrary to defendant's contention, the investigator's statements prior to issuing the Miranda warnings did not vitiate or neutralize the effect of the warnings (cf. People v. Dunbar , 24 N.Y.3d 304, 315-316, 998 N.Y.S.2d 679, 23 N.E.3d 946 [2014], cert denied 575 U.S. 1005, 135 S.Ct. 2052, 191 L.Ed.2d 971 [2015] ), and therefore County Court did not err in refusing to suppress defendant's statements to the investigator (see People v. Box , 181 A.D.3d 1238, 1239, 119 N.Y.S.3d 650 [4th Dept. 2020], lv denied 35 N.Y.3d 1025, 126 N.Y.S.3d 24, 149 N.E.3d 862 [2020], cert denied ––– U.S. ––––, 141 S. Ct. 1099, 208 L.Ed.2d 548 [2021] ; People v. Jemes , 132 A.D.3d 1361, 1362, 17 N.Y.S.3d 539 [4th Dept. 2015], lv denied 26 N.Y.3d 1110, 26 N.Y.S.3d 768, 47 N.E.3d 98 [2016] ).