Case Name: In the Matter of Thomas M., a Person Alleged to be a Juvenile Delinquent, Appellant
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1979-11-20
Citations: 48 N.Y.2d 828
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of Thomas M., a Person Alleged to be a Juvenile Delinquent, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 48
Pages: 828–829

Head Matter:
In the Matter of Thomas M., a Person Alleged to be a Juvenile Delinquent, Appellant.
Argued October 16, 1979;
decided November 20, 1979
APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL
William E. Hellerstein, John F. McGlynn and Charles Schinitsky for appellant.
Allen G. Schwartz, Corporation Counsel (Stephen J. Mc-Grath and L. Kevin Sheridan of counsel), for respondent.

Opinion:
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
The order of the Appellate Division should be reversed and the petition charging appellant with juvenile delinquency should be dismissed.
Unlike the defendant in People v Wachowicz (22 NY2d 369), upon which the Appellate Division majority relied, appellant was in possession of no burglar's tools. The only evidence to connect appellant circumstantially to the attempted break-in is his flight and the fact, which the Family Court Judge impliedly found, that appellant lied about his whereabouts at the time of the attempted break-in. As to the first, however, the flight could equally well be attributed to appellant's status as a trespasser (People v Irvin, 43 NY2d 704; cf People v Leyra, 1 NY2d 199, 209). As to the latter, appellant's denial of presence can hardly be equated with proof, beyond a reasonable doubt, of attempted burglary.
Chief Judge Cooke and Judges Jasen, Gabrielli, Jones, Wachtler, Fuchsberg and Meyer concur.
Order reversed, without costs, and the petition dismissed in a memorandum.