In a New York criminal case, an experienced criminal defense lawyer will often file what’s called a motion to suppress, asking the trial court to exclude incriminating evidence from the trial record based upon the fact that the evidence was unlawfully obtained by law enforcement. If the trial court denies…
The United States Constitution provides that the defendant has no duty to present any evidence showing that they didn’t commit a crime because it’s the government burden to prove guilt; not the defendant’s burden to prove their innocence. However, when thinking through litigation strategy in any realm, it is important…
A September 2024 Grand Larceny case in New York demonstrates how crucial it is to carefully review every agreement you sign related to your criminal offense. The case was based on the theft of a cell phone, and it originally resulted in a sentence of one year in prison. The…
In criminal law, a “show-up” is the process through which a witness and a suspect are together face-to-face for the purpose of the witness’s ability to identify whether the suspect indeed committed the crime. A “Show-Up” identification is by its very nature suggestive, as opposed to a line-up identification in…
In a recent opinion from the New York State Court of Appeals, the chief judge delivered a concurrence that highlights some of the difficulties involved in litigating criminal cases. The opinion centers around an incident in which three pedestrians got into a verbal altercation, after which the defendant stole one…
In a recent New York criminal case before the Appellate Division, Third Department, a New York defendant appealed his convictions of robbery in the first degree and robbery in the second degree. In his appeal, the defendant argued that the State failed to establish his identity as the person who…
In a recent case before the Appellate Division, First Department in New York, the court decided another issue regarding jury selection in favor of two defendants who the Court said were entitled to a new trial after a possible error in jury selection prior to the the trial. The defendants…
In a July 2023 burglary case before the Appellate Division, Second Department in New York, the defendant highlighted possible issues in identifying a suspect through surveillance footage. This case involved a defendant who was charged with and eventually convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree. The defendant appealed his conviction,…
In a June 2023 case before the Appellate Division, Second Department in New York, the defendant successfully argued for a reversal of his conviction of robbery in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree. Originally, a jury found the defendant guilty after an incident…
In a robbery case before a New York appeals court earlier this month, the defendant asked the court to reconsider an unfavorable decision he received at the trial court level. Originally, the defendant was criminally charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, and he asked the lower court…