Court Opinion

ID: 9707511
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 02:14:14.161806+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:34.381658
License: Public Domain

Rosenblatt, J. (concurring).
This is a troublesome case in which the proof of guilt is thin and the evidence somewhat contradictory. But I cannot agree that the conviction must be reversed. For the Court to reverse we would have to create a new rule by which a very brief encounter—resulting in an unwavering eyewitness identification—is declared insufficient as a matter of law. That would not be a good idea. Most of us know of the weaknesses in one-on-one confrontations. Some are trustworthy, others not. It comes down to a jury question, and perhaps the Appellate Division’s interest of justice powers.
From this distance, it is almost impossible for us to weigh proof a jury has seen and heard. Further, I think it is unwise for a law court to reverse convictions based on our belief—contrary to the jury’s—that there may be a reasonable doubt of defendant’s guüt. I would urge the District Attorney to undertake a fresh and unbiased review of the case and investigate fully all the evidence, including proof not part of the record before us.
I recognize that in the Appellate Division and in our Court the District Attorney has argued to uphold the conviction. That’s understandable, given the jury’s verdict and the prosecution’s natural unwillingness to undermine it. But this is a particularly disquieting case, one that calls for a new and fastidious layer of review. If on further investigation the District Attorney shares these concerns, he has the power and, I am confident, the motivation, to take whatever steps are appropriate to do justice.