Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Carl Albert Brown, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1971-11-22
Citations: 37 A.D.2d 980
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Carl Albert Brown, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 37
Pages: 980–980

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Carl Albert Brown, Appellant.

Opinion:
Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Dutchess County, rendered June 10, 1970, convicting him of rape in the third degree, after a nonjury trial, and imposing sentence. Judgment reversed, on the law, and new trial ordered. Defendant contends that his waiver of trial by jury was ineffective because it was oral. Section 2 of article I of the Constitution of the State of Hew York provides: " A jury trial may be waived by the defendant in all criminal cases, except those in which the crime charged may be punishable by death, by a written instrument signed by the defendant in person in open court before and with the approval of a judge or justice of a court having jurisdiction to try the offense." The constitutional requirement of a written waiver was not complied with; therefore, no waiver occurred (People v. Matthews, 35 A D 2d 1049). Munder, Acting P. J., Latham, Shapiro, Christ and Benjamin, JJ., concur.