Opinion ID: 778069
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Suppression Hearing and the First Trial

Text: 4 In a March 1, 1993 pretrial hearing, Jenkins moved to suppress in-court identification testimony from two potential witnesses, Garvey Napoleon and Rollie Carter. New York Supreme Court Justice John J. Leahy rejected Jenkins's motions without explanation. 5 Jenkins proceeded to trial before Supreme Court Justice Joseph Rosenzweig on May 5, 1993. On May 11, Queens County Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Solomon Landa, who was prosecuting Jenkins's case, entered into an oral plea agreement with a prosecution witness, David Morgan, who was to testify later that day. Morgan had been arrested twice for selling crack cocaine in a matter unrelated to the Jenkins case 1 and had been charged with possession thereof with intent to sell. Under the agreement, Morgan accepted six months' imprisonment and five years' probation. Later that day, in court, Jenkins's counsel objected that he had not been warned of Morgan's plea bargain. Justice Rosenzweig declared a mistrial the following day based on ADA Landa's prosecutorial misconduct in hold[ing] back exculpatory information [that is, Morgan's plea] as long as possible from defense counsel.