People v. Barnes

Jun 13, 1977
Reporters:
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Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County, rendered March ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‍26, 1974, convicting him of robbery in the third degree and petit larceny, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence. Judgment reversed, on the law, and, as a ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‍matter of discretion in the interest of justice, indictment dismissed. In our opinion the substitution (without appellant’s consent and over his objection) of an alternate juror after deliberations ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‍had commenced was prejudicial error (see People v Ryan, 19 NY2d 100). The subject theft involved the taking of $24 worth of meat from a supermarket. Appellant did not personally ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‍commit any act of violence. He has served his sentence. Under the circumstances, a dismissal of the indictment, rather than a new trial, is appropriate (see People v Kvalheim, ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‍17 NY2d 510; cf. People v Allen, 39 NY2d 916). Martuscello, J. P., Latham, Margett and O’Connor, JJ., concur.