Case ID: ad2d_267/html/0389-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

In the Matter of Michael R., a Person Alleged to be a Juvenile Delinquent, Appellant.
    [700 NYS2d 724]
    —In a juvenile delinquency proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 3, the appeal is from an order of disposition of the Family Court, Richmond County (Clark, J.), dated February 9, 1998, which, upon a fact-finding order of the same court, dated December 11, 1997, made after a hearing, found that the appellant had committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, adjudged him to be a juvenile delinquent, and placed him with the New York State Division for Youth for a period of 12 months. The appeal brings up for review the fact-finding order and the denial, after a hearing, of that branch of the appellant’s omnibus motion which was to suppress physical evidence.
    Ordered that the order of disposition is affirmed, without costs or disbursements.
    The Family Court properly determined that the police officer who ultimately seized a gun from a van was justified in approaching that van, which had been standing with its engine idling, and directing its occupants to exit, based upon his reasonable suspicion that the occupants of the van were smoking marihuana (see, People v McLaurin, 70 NY2d 779, 781-782; People v Heston, 152 AD2d 999; People v Barnes, 149 AD2d 359; People v Hill, 148 AD2d 546; People v Cunningham, 141 AD2d 557). Because the officer had the right to be in the position from which he observed the gun on the rear seat of the van, the plain view doctrine applied (see, People v Diaz, 81 NY2d 106, 109-111; People v Shapiro, 141 AD2d 577), and the seizure of the gun was appropriate. Santucci, J. P., Joy, Florio and Luciano, JJ., concur.