Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Gerald Johnson, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1984-11-07
Citations: 105 A.D.2d 1085
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Gerald Johnson, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 105
Pages: 1085–1085

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Gerald Johnson, Appellant.

Opinion:
Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: The trial court properly excluded defendant's hearsay statement, communicated to his former attorney, in which defendant allegedly admitted using a stolen credit card. This statement is not admissible as a declaration against penal interest because a statement made to an attorney is confidential and, therefore, not adverse to one's penal interest and because, in the instant case, there is a complete absence of any supporting circumstances attesting to the trustworthiness of the statement (People v Settles, 46 NY2d 154, 167; see, also, People v Trice, 101 AD2d 581). (Appeal from judgment of Monroe County Court, Maas, J. — peijury, first degree.) Present — Hancock, Jr., J. P., Callahan, Doerr, Denman and O'Donnell, JJ.