People v Harris
2012 NY Slip Op 08058 [20 NY3d 912]
November 27, 2012
Court of Appeals
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, January 16, 2013


[*1]
The People of the State of New York, Appellant,
v
James A. Harris, Jr., Respondent.

Decided November 27, 2012

People v Harris, 93 AD3d 58, affirmed.

APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL

Francis D. Phillips, II, District Attorney, Middletown (Andrew R. Kass of counsel), for appellant.

Warren S. Hecht, Forest Hills, for respondent.

{**20 NY3d at 914} OPINION OF THE COURT

On review of submissions pursuant to section 500.11 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals (22 NYCRR 500.11), order affirmed. There is support in the record for the Appellate Division's determination that defendant unequivocally invoked his right to counsel while in custody, and that mixed question of law and fact is beyond our further review. We agree with the Appellate Division that the hearing court's error in failing to suppress defendant's statements was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt and that defendant is entitled to a new trial.

Concur: Chief Judge Lippman and Judges Ciparick, Graffeo, Read, Smith and Pigott.