New York Law Review

Tag: Presumption of Innocence

  • People v. Roman, 97 N.Y.2d 770 (2002): Jury Instructions and the Presumption of Innocence

    People v. Roman, 97 N.Y.2d 770 (2002)

    While it is generally proper to instruct a jury that an indictment is not evidence, the omission of such an instruction is not reversible error if the jury instructions, viewed in their entirety, adequately convey that the verdict must be based solely on the evidence and that the defendant is protected by the presumption of innocence.

    Summary

    The defendant was convicted of robbery, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a firearm. The appeal centered on the trial court’s refusal to instruct the jury that “the indictment is not evidence of anything.” The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction, holding that the omission, while not ideal, did not constitute reversible error. The Court reasoned that the overall jury instructions adequately emphasized that the verdict must be based on the evidence presented and that the defendant was protected by the presumption of innocence, thus ensuring a fair trial.

    Facts

    The defendant was charged with robbery, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a firearm, leading to a trial. During jury selection, the trial court initially instructed the potential jurors that the indictment was not evidence. However, this specific instruction was omitted from the final charge to the jury at the close of the trial.

    Procedural History

    The defendant was convicted in the trial court. The Appellate Division affirmed the conviction. The case then reached the New York Court of Appeals by leave of a Judge of that Court, focusing on the alleged error of omitting the instruction that the indictment is not evidence.

    Issue(s)

    Whether the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury that the indictment is not evidence of anything constitutes reversible error, given the other instructions provided to the jury.

    Holding

    No, because considering the jury instructions in their entirety, the defendant was not deprived of a fair trial. The court’s charge sufficiently emphasized that the jury’s verdict must be based solely on the evidence presented and that the defendant was protected by the presumption of innocence.

    Court’s Reasoning

    The Court of Appeals acknowledged that while it is proper to instruct the jury that the indictment is not evidence, its omission here did not warrant reversal. The Court emphasized that jury instructions must be considered in their totality. In this case, the trial court gave “ample emphasis in the final jury charge that the jury’s verdict must be based on an assessment only of the evidence…and that the defendant was always protected by the presumption of innocence.” The court distinguished this case from Carter v. Kentucky and Taylor v. Kentucky, as well as People v. Newman, where more fundamental errors occurred, such as failing to instruct the jury on the prosecution’s burden of proof. The Court found that the instructions, taken as a whole, adequately protected the defendant’s rights. The court essentially found that the absence of one specific instruction did not negate the effectiveness of the instructions given which emphasized the defendant’s presumption of innocence and the prosecution’s burden of proof based on presented evidence.

  • People v. Velez, 51 N.Y.2d 725 (1980): Preserving Errors for Appeal – The Need for Timely Objections

    People v. Velez, 51 N.Y.2d 725 (1980)

    Failure to object to a jury instruction at trial generally forfeits the right to appellate review of that instruction as a matter of law, unless the appellate court chooses to exercise its discretion to review the error in the interest of justice.

    Summary

    The New York Court of Appeals reversed the Appellate Division’s order, which had reversed the defendant’s conviction due to the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury on the presumption of innocence. Because the defendant did not object to the omission at trial, the Court of Appeals held that the Appellate Division erred in reversing the conviction as a matter of law. The case was remitted to the Appellate Division to decide whether it should exercise its discretionary power to review the unpreserved error.

    Facts

    The specifics of the underlying criminal charges against Velez are not provided in this short per curiam opinion. The critical fact is that the trial court omitted to instruct the jury regarding the presumption of innocence. Critically, the defense counsel did not object to the omission of this charge at the time of trial.

    Procedural History

    The defendant was convicted at trial. The Appellate Division reversed the conviction, holding that the trial court’s failure to charge the jury on the presumption of innocence necessitated reversal as a matter of law. The People appealed to the New York Court of Appeals.

    Issue(s)

    Whether the Appellate Division erred in reversing the defendant’s conviction as a matter of law based on the trial court’s failure to charge the jury on the presumption of innocence, when the defendant did not object to the omission at trial.

    Holding

    Yes, because the absence of an objection at trial generally means the alleged error is unpreserved for appellate review as a matter of law. However, the Appellate Division has discretion to review unpreserved errors in the interest of justice.

    Court’s Reasoning

    The Court of Appeals held that because the defendant did not object to the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury on the presumption of innocence, the Appellate Division’s reversal of the conviction as a matter of law was in error. The court cited People v. Cona, 49 NY2d 26 and People v. Thomas, 50 NY2d 467, 472. The Court emphasized that absent a timely objection, the Appellate Division should only reverse if it chooses to exercise its discretionary powers to review the alleged error. The Court stated it would be inappropriate to express an opinion on the merits of the defendant’s claim regarding the missing jury instruction because it was not properly preserved in the trial court. The decision underscores the importance of making timely objections at trial to preserve issues for appellate review, and it clarifies the scope of an appellate court’s discretion to review unpreserved errors.

  • People v. Roman, 357 N.Y.S.2d 978 (1974): Right to Appear in Court in Civilian Clothing

    People v. Roman, 34 N.Y.2d 777, 357 N.Y.S.2d 978 (1974)

    A defendant in a criminal trial is presumed innocent and has the right to appear in court in civilian clothing, ensuring they are not visually identified as a convict to the jury.

    Summary

    The defendant, Roman, was denied his request to wear civilian clothing during his trial and was compelled to appear in prison attire. The Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s decision, holding that forcing a defendant to wear prison clothing violates their right to be presumed innocent. The court reasoned that requiring a defendant to appear in convict’s attire serves as a constant visual reminder to the jury of their incarcerated status, undermining the principle that they are entitled to the dignity and self-respect of a free and innocent person.

    Facts

    The defendant, Roman, was on trial. Prior to the commencement of the trial, Roman’s counsel requested that he be allowed to wear his own street clothes during the proceedings. The trial court denied this request, compelling Roman to appear in “distinctive prison attire.”. The prosecution could not provide a reason for this requirement.

    Procedural History

    The trial court denied the defendant’s request to wear civilian clothing. The Appellate Term affirmed the trial court’s decision. The New York Court of Appeals then reviewed the case.

    Issue(s)

    Whether a defendant’s right to a fair trial is violated when they are compelled to appear before a jury in prison attire, thereby undermining the presumption of innocence.

    Holding

    Yes, because compelling a defendant to wear prison attire during trial undermines the presumption of innocence and denies them the right to appear in court with the dignity and self-respect of a free person.

    Court’s Reasoning

    The court emphasized the fundamental principle that a defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to appear in court with the dignity and self-respect of a free and innocent person. Requiring a defendant to wear prison attire acts as a continuous visual communication to the jury that the defendant is an incarcerated individual, thereby undermining the presumption of innocence. The court stated, “To forbid him to wear his own clothing and to require him to appear in convict’s attire — a continuing visual communication to the jury — is to deny him this right.” The court acknowledged that there might be situations where accommodating a defendant’s request to wear civilian clothing presents practical challenges, but no such challenges were present in this case. The fact that the defendant’s alleged crimes were committed while incarcerated was deemed irrelevant to the issue of whether he should be allowed to wear civilian clothing during the trial. The court explicitly rejected the reasoning in United States ex rel. Stahl v. Henderson, which suggested a different outcome when the alleged crimes occurred during incarceration.