AMICUS AI
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Are you a practicing lawyer?
Enhance your digital presence and reach by creating a Casemine profile.
Upload pleading to use the new AI search
Cites
Cited by
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. PETER CIESLUK, Appellant.

Judgment reversed, as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice, and new trial ordered. The findings of fact are affirmed.

At trial, defendant presented an alibi defense which, if believed, placed him many miles away from the scene of the crime at the time that it occurred. The trial court's charge on this issue was inadequate. Although the jury was told that it could acquit defendant if it found that his alibi defense raised a reasonable doubt, it was not instructed in unequivocal terms that the People had the burden of disproving the alibi defense beyond a reasonable doubt, and also had the burden of proving defendant guilty by the same standard, even if the alibi was not believed (see, e.g., People v. Victor, 62 N.Y.2d 374; People v. Vera, 94 A.D.2d 728; CJI 12.10).

Defendant's other claims are either unpreserved or without merit. Titone, J.P., Mangano, Gibbons and O'Connor, JJ., concur.

Use AI to get other relevant cases.

Comments

PEOPLE v. CIESLUK
(Dec 17, 1984)