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People v. Merlo

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 19, 1993
195 A.D.2d 576 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)

Opinion

July 19, 1993

Appeal from the County Court, Orange County (Byrne, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

On November 16, 1988, the defendant and William Gabler drove to the Goshen Plaza Diner where the defendant met with an undercover officer. While Gabler remained in the vehicle, the defendant entered the undercover officer's vehicle and gave the officer nearly two ounces of cocaine in exchange for $1,500.

Based in part on this sale and in part on a continuing investigation, an eavesdropping warrant was sought and obtained. The defendant is challenging the authorization of that eavesdropping warrant as well as the denial of his motion to dismiss this indictment in the interest of justice, commonly known as a Clayton motion (see, People v. Clayton, 41 A.D.2d 204; see also, CPL 210.40).

Probable cause in obtaining an eavesdropping warrant is a mixed question of law and fact (see, People v. Tambe, 71 N.Y.2d 492). The police officer who supplied the underlying information upon which the warrant was based gave the County Court sufficient information to support a finding of probable cause.

The defendant, by pleading guilty, forfeited his right to challenge the denial of his Clayton motion (see, People v Purcell, 161 A.D.2d 812). The sentence imposed was not excessive (see, People v. Suitte, 90 A.D.2d 80). Sullivan, J.P., Eiber, Pizzuto and Joy, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Merlo

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 19, 1993
195 A.D.2d 576 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
Case details for

People v. Merlo

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. ANTHONY MERLO…

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

Date published: Jul 19, 1993

Citations

195 A.D.2d 576 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
600 N.Y.S.2d 494

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