Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
IN RE: CHRISTOPHER P., A Person Alleged to be a Juvenile Delinquent, Appellant. Presentment Agency.
Order of disposition, Family Court, New York County (Sheldon Rand, J.), entered on or about September 5, 1997, which adjudicated appellant a juvenile delinquent, upon a fact-finding determination that appellant committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute criminal trespass in the third degree, and placed him in the custody of the New York State Division for Youth for a period of 12 months, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
The petition and supporting depositions were legally sufficient. The police officer's supporting deposition containing appellant's inculpatory statement was based upon the officer's personal knowledge, since he heard appellant make that statement to the complaining witness, and it therefore constituted a nonhearsay supporting deposition (Family Ct. Act § 311.2; Matter of Rodney J., 108 A.D.2d 307, 489 N.Y.S.2d 160). The separately apprehended juvenile's statement to the complaining witness, also overheard by the police officer and contained within his deposition, constituted the necessary additional proof that the crime charged had been committed (Family Ct. Act § 344.2[3]; Matter of Rodney J., supra), and was admissible for this limited purpose under an exception to the hearsay rule as a declaration against penal interest (People v. Thomas, 68 N.Y.2d 194, 507 N.Y.S.2d 973, 500 N.E.2d 293). We further find that the petition and supporting depositions sufficiently alleged the elements of criminal trespass in the third degree.
MEMORANDUM DECISION.
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Decided: April 13, 1999
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)