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A05164 Summary:

BILL NOA05164
 
SAME ASSAME AS S02185
 
SPONSORMosley
 
COSPNSRHeastie, Gottfried, Gantt, Cook, Perry, Pretlow, Dinowitz, Lifton, Rosenthal L, Crespo, Weprin, Rodriguez, Kim, Pichardo, Walker, Barron, Seawright, Joyner, Blake, Hyndman, Jaffee, Jean-Pierre
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §190.25, CP L
 
Provides that in grand jury proceedings when following submission to a grand jury of a criminal charge or charges, the grand jury dismisses all charges presented or directs the district attorney to dismiss all charges or directs the DA to file in a local criminal court an application for disclosure of certain materials; authorizes the court to limit disclosure of certain items where there is a reasonable likelihood that such disclosure may lead to the identity of a witness who is not a public servant or expert witness; makes related provisions.
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A05164 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5164
 
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 7, 2019
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. MOSLEY, HEASTIE, GOTTFRIED, GANTT, COOK, PERRY,
          PRETLOW, DINOWITZ, LIFTON, L. ROSENTHAL,  CRESPO,  WEPRIN,  RODRIGUEZ,
          KIM,  PICHARDO,  WALKER,  BARRON,  SEAWRIGHT,  JOYNER, BLAKE, HYNDMAN,
          JAFFEE, JEAN-PIERRE -- read once and  referred  to  the  Committee  on
          Codes

        AN  ACT  to  amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to grand jury
          proceedings
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.    Paragraph (d) of subdivision 3 of section 190.25 of the
     2  criminal procedure law is amended and a new paragraph (a-1) is added  to
     3  read as follows:
     4    (a-1) A judge or justice of the superior court;
     5    (d)  An  interpreter. Upon request of the grand jury or the court, the
     6  prosecutor must provide an interpreter to interpret the testimony of any
     7  witness who does not speak the English language well enough to be readi-
     8  ly understood. Such interpreter must, if he or she  has  not  previously
     9  taken  the  constitutional oath of office, first take an oath before the
    10  grand jury that he or she will faithfully interpret the testimony of the
    11  witness and that he or she will keep  secret  all  matters  before  such
    12  grand jury within his or her knowledge;
    13    §  2. Subdivision 4 of section 190.25 of the criminal procedure law is
    14  amended by adding six new paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h)  to
    15  read as follows:
    16    (c)  In  addition to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, when,
    17  following submission to a grand jury of a criminal  charge  or  charges,
    18  the  grand  jury dismisses all charges presented or directs the district
    19  attorney to file in a local criminal court  a  prosecutor's  information
    20  charging  an offense other than a felony, as provided in subdivision one
    21  of section 190.70 of this article, an application may  be  made  to  the
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05605-01-9

        A. 5164                             2
 
     1  superior  court for disclosure of the following material relating to the
     2  proceedings before such grand jury:
     3    (i) the criminal charge or charges submitted;
     4    (ii) the legal instructions provided to the grand jury;
     5    (iii)  the  testimony of all public servants who testified in an offi-
     6  cial capacity before the grand jury and  of  all  persons  who  provided
     7  expert testimony; and
     8    (iv) the testimony of all other persons who testified before the grand
     9  jury, redacted as necessary to prevent discovery of their names and such
    10  other  personal  data  or  information that may reveal or help to reveal
    11  their identities.
    12    (d) The application specified in paragraph (c) of this subdivision may
    13  be made by any person, must be in writing and, except where made by  the
    14  people,  must  be  upon  notice to the people. The court shall direct or
    15  provide notice to any other appropriate person  or  agency.  Where  more
    16  than  one  application is made hereunder in relation to such a dismissal
    17  or direction, the court may consolidate such applications and  determine
    18  them together. When no application hereunder is made, the superior court
    19  may  order  disclosure on its own motion as provided in paragraph (e) of
    20  this subdivision at any time following  notice  to  the  people  and  an
    21  opportunity  to be heard and reasonable efforts to notify and provide an
    22  opportunity to be heard to any other appropriate person or agency.
    23    (e) Upon an application as provided in paragraph (c) of this  subdivi-
    24  sion  or  on  the court's own motion, the court, after providing persons
    25  given notice an opportunity to be heard, shall determine whether:
    26    (i) a significant number of members of the general public in the coun-
    27  ty in which the grand jury was drawn and impaneled are likely aware that
    28  a criminal investigation had  been  conducted  in  connection  with  the
    29  subject matter of the grand jury proceeding; and
    30    (ii)  a  significant  number  of members of the general public in such
    31  county are likely aware of the identity of the subject against whom  the
    32  criminal  charge  specified  in  paragraph  (c)  of this subdivision was
    33  submitted to a grand jury, or such subject has consented to such disclo-
    34  sure; and
    35    (iii) there is significant public interest in disclosure.
    36    Where the court is satisfied that all three of these factors are pres-
    37  ent, and except as provided in paragraph (f) of  this  subdivision,  the
    38  court  shall direct the district attorney to promptly disclose the items
    39  specified in paragraph (c) of this subdivision.
    40    (f) Notwithstanding any  other  provisions  of  this  subdivision,  on
    41  application of the district attorney or any interested person, or on its
    42  own  motion,  the court shall limit disclosure of the items specified in
    43  paragraph (c) of this subdivision, in whole or  part,  where  the  court
    44  determines  there  is  a  reasonable likelihood that such disclosure may
    45  lead to discovery of the identity of a witness who is not a public serv-
    46  ant or expert witness, imperil the health or safety of a grand juror who
    47  participated in the proceeding or a  witness  who  appeared  before  the
    48  grand jury, jeopardize an identified current or future criminal investi-
    49  gation, create a specific threat to public safety, or despite the inter-
    50  ests  reflected  by  this  subdivision  is  contrary to the interests of
    51  justice.
    52    (g) Where a court determines not to direct disclosure, in whole or  in
    53  part, pursuant to this subdivision, it shall do so promptly in a written
    54  order  that  shall  explain with specificity, to the extent practicable,
    55  the basis for its determination.

        A. 5164                             3
 
     1    (h) Nothing in this paragraph or paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f) or  (g)
     2  of  this subdivision shall be interpreted as limiting or restricting any
     3  broader right of access to grand jury materials  under  any  other  law,
     4  common law or court precedent.
     5    §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
     6  have become a law.
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