Opinion ID: 2076124
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Procedural History and the Bruton Waiver

Text: Before trial, an Evidence Rule 8 hearing was conducted at which defense counsel challenged the admissibility of Norman's statement. The State prevailed at the hearing, and the statement was admitted as substantive evidence. The State then moved to sever defendants' trials under Bruton. Despite the State's request, defense counsel conferred and decided to proceed to trial jointly, stipulating that the matter did not require severance under Bruton. Although the only recorded evidence of that decision is a letter from Norman's trial counsel agreeing to a waiver, trial attorneys for both the prosecution and defense all stipulated to the fact that they had agreed to waive severance. The defendants themselves were not questioned on the record by the court regarding the waiver of their rights to separate trials. Following a ten-day trial, the jury convicted Norman, Buonadonna, and Talotti of conspiracy to commit murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2; conspiracy to commit armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1; aggravated assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1); possession of a handgun without a permit, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b); and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4. Buonadonna and Norman were also convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2. Talotti was also convicted of attempted murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1 and 2C:11-3a. Buonadonna and Norman were each sentenced to eighteen years in prison with a six-year, four-month parole-ineligibility period. The court sentenced Talotti to fifteen years, with a six-year, four-month parole-ineligibility period. As previously stated, the Appellate Division reversed the convictions. The court found Norman's statement, which implicated both Buonadonna and Talotti, had been improperly admitted because Buonadonna and Talotti had not waived on the record their sixth-amendment right to confront witnesses against them and Norman did not testify. Notwithstanding that Talotti had not raised the issue in his appeal, the court set aside the convictions of both Buonadonna and Talotti and remanded the cases to the Law Division for new trials.