Opinion ID: 2036115
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: People v Taveras

Text: In October 1984, defendant Jose Martin Taveras and his co-defendant entered an apartment in New York City with the intent to steal cocaine and money. They assaulted and choked one victim into unconsciousness and stabbed and tortured another. The former victim recovered; the latter victim died. After his arrest, defendant attempted to bribe law enforcement officers in an attempt to facilitate his release. Defendant was charged with two counts of murder in the second degree, and one count each of attempted murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and bribery in the second degree. He remained free on bail pending his trial, which was scheduled for November 1986. When defendant failed to appear, Supreme Court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. In January 1987, defendant was arrested on the warrant and a new trial date was set for May 1988. Defendant remained at liberty. While awaiting trial on the state charges, defendant was arrested and charged in November 1987 with federal drug charges. In February 1988, he pleaded guilty to those charges and was once again released on bond. Coincidentally, his sentencing on the federal charges was scheduled on the same date that his state trial was to commence. Defendant failed to appear for either his state trial or his federal sentencing. Supreme Court once again issued a bench warrant for defendant's arrest and conducted a hearing pursuant to People v Parker (57 NY2d 136, 142 [1982]), ultimately concluding that defendant would be tried in absentia. Defendant was convicted on several counts and sentence imposed. Defense counsel filed a timely notice of appeal in June 1988. Eight years later, defendant was apprehended in Florida and charged with bail jumping in relation to his federal convictions. The federal court in Florida imposed a determinate prison term of 121 months to run concurrently with his state sentence. Upon his return to New York in December 1997, defendant began his state sentence. Defendant was not at first aware that his prior attorney had filed a timely notice of appeal nine years before. Even after he discovered this fact in late 2000 or early 2001, several more years were consumed in state appellate and federal habeas corpus litigation, ending with a decision in 2006 in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that defendant had not lost his right to the assignment of counsel on the appeal ( Taveras v Smith, 463 F3d 141, 151-152 [2d Cir 2006]). Counsel was appointed and submitted a brief. In November 2006, the People moved to dismiss defendant's appeal, arguing that by absconding defendant had forfeited and abandoned his appellate rights and thus the Appellate Division should refuse to consider the merits. Defendant opposed the motion, arguing that because he was currently under the jurisdiction of the courts, he was entitled to one appeal as of right, pointing out that he had already filed his appellate brief and had at least one winning issue on appeal. After considering the People's motion and defendant's response, the Appellate Division, First Department dismissed the appeal.