From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Torres

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 15, 1998
251 A.D.2d 519 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

June 15, 1998

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Ferdinand, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant claims that the court erred in directing that the courtroom be closed during the testimony of the undercover officer. The testimony at the Hinton hearing (see, People v. Hinton, 31 N.Y.2d 71, 76, cert denied 410 U.S. 911) established that the officer was to return to the arrest area for future undercover work, had been threatened previously, had been assaulted by a lost subject who identified him as a police officer, and took precautions to keep his identity secret whenever his presence was required at hearings or trials. Closure of the courtroom during the testimony of an undercover police officer was therefore warranted here (see, People v. Ramos, 90 N.Y.2d 490, 500, cert denied sub nom. Ayala v. New York, ___ U.S. ___, 118 S.Ct. 574; People v. Pearson, 82 N.Y.2d 436, 443; People v. Pagan, 245 A.D.2d 312; People v. Green, 244 A.D.2d 571; People v. Whiteside, 243 A.D.2d 744; People v. Pryor, 243 A.D.2d 656; People v. Pastrana, 237 A.D.2d 628; People v. Diaz, 237 A.D.2d 457; People v. Nicot, 237 A.D.2d 310).

The defendant's Rosario claim is unpreserved for appellate review, and, in any event, is without merit. The court properly conducted an in camera examination of writings made by the prosecutor during her interview with a police witness (see, People v. Barrigar, 233 A.D.2d 845), and found them to be as the prosecutor represented, that is, either not relevant to the witness, or material that was attorney work product (see, People v. Shaw, 212 A.D.2d 745; People v. Roberts, 178 A.D.2d 622; cf., People v. Austin, 75 N.Y.2d 723, 730; People v. Gourgue, 239 A.D.2d 357).

O'Brien, J. P., Sullivan, Pizzuto and Joy, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Torres

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 15, 1998
251 A.D.2d 519 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Torres

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. CARMELO TORRES…

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

Date published: Jun 15, 1998

Citations

251 A.D.2d 519 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
674 N.Y.S.2d 705

Citing Cases

People v. Lopez

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed. The Spanish-speaking defendant was tried together with his codefendant…

People v. Kozlowski

The attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine serve important policy functions. ( Upjohn Co. v…