People v. Mature Enterprises, Inc. — 76 Misc. 2d 660

Majority

p. 660

The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Mature Enterprises, Inc., Appellant.

Supreme Court, Appellate Term, First Department,

January 14, 1974.

Kassner <& Detsky (Herbert S. Kassner of counsel), for appellant. Frank S. Hogan, District Attorney (Lewis R. Friedman and Arthur Weinstein of counsel), for respondent.

Upon review of the film, “ Deep Throat ”, we find it constitutionally obscene under both the statutory and decisional guidelines (Penal Law, § 235.00; Miller v. California, 413 U. S. 15 ; Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton, 413 U. S. 49 ; Peo

p. 661

ple v. Heller, 29 N Y 2d 319 , upon rearg. 33 N Y 2d 314 ; Redlich v. Capri Cinema, 43 A D 2d 27 , 29).

Since defendant is a corporation, ‘ ‘ the only penal sanction that can be used is a fine ” (Preiser, Practice Commentary, McKinney’s Cons. Laws, Book 39, p. 166); a fine is the sole penalty (Penal Law, § 80.10). Hence, defendant was not entitled to trial by jury (Rankin v. Shanker, 23 N Y 2d 111 , 120; Mature Enterprises v. Hogan, N. Y. L. J., Nov. 16, 1972, p. 2, col. 1). In the fact pattern before us, we conclude that the fine imposed was not excessive (Rankin v. Shanker, supra; People v. Gittelson, 18 N Y 2d 427 , 431, affg. 25 A D 2d 265 ).

The judgment of conviction should be affirmed.

Concur — Markowitz, P. J., Fine and Frank, JJ.

Judgment of conviction affirmed.

Cases cited

Miller v. California 413 U. S. 15 SCOTUS 1973-06-21 p. 660
Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton 413 U. S. 49 SCOTUS 1973-06-21 p. 660
People v. Heller 29 N Y 2d 319 N.Y. 1971-12-01 p. 661
People v. Heller 33 N Y 2d 314 N.Y. 1973-12-28 p. 661
Redlich v. Capri Cinema, Inc. 43 A D 2d 27 N.Y. App. Div. 1973-11-27 at 29 p. 661
Rankin v. Shanker 23 N Y 2d 111 N.Y. 1968-10-30 at 120 p. 661
People v. Gittelson 18 N Y 2d 427 N.Y. 1966-12-01 at 431 p. 661
People v. Gittelson 25 A D 2d 265 N.Y. App. Div. 1966-04-14 p. 661