People v. Vereen

May 12, 1977
Reporters:
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Judgment, Supreme Court, Bronx County, rendered on September 16, 1975, unanimously affirmed. Concur — Kupferman, J. ‍‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‍P., Evans and Lane, JJ.; Birns and Capozzoli, JJ., concur in the following memorandum by Birns, J.: We note that the Trial Judge, despite the failure of defense counsel to request the ‍‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‍charge, instructed the jury on the failure of the defendant to take the stand. The statutory language indicates that such charge is not to be given, absent request of the defendant ‍‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‍(CPL 300.10, subd 2). However, courts that have considered this precise issue have declined to regard such a charge as prejudicial error. (See, e.g., People v Mulligan, 40 AD2d 165; cf. United States v ‍‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‍Garguilo, 310 F2d 249, 252; People v Garcia, 51 AD2d 329, affd 41 NY2d 861, Fuchsberg, J., dissenting.) Although we have previously expressed dissent from such conclusion (People v Garcia, supra), nevertheless, we are constrained to vote for ‍‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‍affirmance. (See, also, People v Britt, 52 AD2d 811, mot for lv to app granted.) Birns, J., dissenting.)