Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. William Watson, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1978-11-13
Citations: 65 A.D.2d 777
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v William Watson, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 65
Pages: 777–778

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v William Watson, Appellant.

Opinion:
Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Nassau County, rendered April 26, 1977, convicting him of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree (three counts), criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (three counts), and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence. Judgment reversed, on the law, and new trial ordered. The trial court should have permitted the defense to cross-examine the police witnesses concerning their photographic identification of the defendant (see People v Balsano, 51 AD2d 130). Since the whole thrust of the defendant's case was misidentification, the prohibiting of any effective questioning in this area deprived the defendant of a fair trial. Damiani, J. P., Titone, Suozzi and Rabin, JJ., concur.