Court Decision: Right to Counsel Violated

Appellate Division, Second Department: People v. English

Right to Counsel Violated

Mr. English requested a new attorney and made specific serious factual allegations about his assigned counsel and the breakdown of communications between them.  Because the trial court failed to meet its ongoing duty to make inquiries to determine whether there was good cause for the requested substitution, reversal was warranted.  The suppression determination was vacated, and the case was remitted to pre-suppression hearing status. Judgment Reversed, Suppression Decision Vacated, & Remitted.

Ava C. Page represented Mr. English