People v. Colclough — 32 N.Y.2d 227

Majority

p. 227

The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. John V. Colclough, Appellant.

Argued March 21, 1973;

decided May 2, 1973.

jRichard Steel for appellant.

I. Failure to corroborate all the elements of the crime required a dismissal of the indictment. (People v. Downs, 236 N. Y. 306 ; People v. English, 16 N Y 2d 719 ; People v. Young, 22 N Y 2d 785 ; People v. Lo Verde, 7 N Y 2d 114 ; People v. Romano, 277 N. Y. 619 ; People v. Perez, 25 A D 2d 859 ; People v. Masse, 5 N Y 2d 217 ; People v. Butt, 35 A D 2d 585 ; People v. Augustine, 35 A D 2d 527 ; People v. Colon, 37 A D 2d 21 .) II. An intent to commit the crime charged cannot be implied. (People v. Osinski, 281 N. Y. 129 ; People v. Katz, 290 N. Y. 361 ; People v. Rytel, 284 N. Y. 242 ; People v.

p. 228

Finn, 275 App. Div. 65 ; People v. Ball, 283 App. Div. 285 .) III. The search warrant should have been controverted and the evidence obtained thereunder suppressed. (People v. Martin, 49 Misc 2d 268 ; Jones v. United States, 362 U. S. 257 ; People ex rel. Simpson Co. v. Kempner, 208 N. Y. 16 ; People v. Grossman, 45 Misc 2d 557 ; Berger v. New York, 388 U. S. 41 ; Gouled v. United States, 255 U. S. 298 ; Marron v. United States, 275 U. S. 192 ; Sgro v. United States, 287 U. S. 206 ; Schoeneman v. United States, 317 F. 2d 173 ; People v. Hughes, 31 A D 2d 235 .) IV. The trial court’s failure to charge the elements of temporary insanity as a defense was reversible error. (People v. Jones, 27 N Y 2d 222 ; People v. Brown, 19 A D 2d 599 ; People v. Kelly, 302 N. Y. 512 ; People v. Egnor, 175 N. Y. 419 .)

Frank 8. Hogan, District Attorney (Arthur Weinstein, Michael B. Juviler and Herman Kaufman of counsel), for respondent.

I. Defendant’s guilt of assault in the second degree was proved beyond a reasonable doubt, there being no need to corroborate the crime of sexual abuse in the first degree. (People v. Young, 22 N Y 2d 785 ; People v. Radunovic, 21 N Y 2d 186 ; People v. English, 16 N Y 2d 719 ; People v. Sigismondi, 21 N Y 2d 186 ; People v. Moore, 23 N Y 2d 565 ; People v. Lennon, 22 N Y 2d 677 ; People v. Jenkins, 22 N Y 2d 675 ; People v. Ennis, 30 N Y 2d 526 ; People v. Colon, 29 N Y 2d 600 .) II. The affidavit in support of the warrant furnished probable cause to believe that the belts used by defendant to beat the victim would be found in defendant’s apartment. (Warden v. Hayden, 387 U. S. 294 ; People v. Givens, 21 N Y 2d 929 ; Sgro v. United States, 287 U. S. 206 ; United States v. Boyd, 422 F. 2d 791 ; Durham v. United States, 403 F. 2d 190 ; United States v. Slapo, 285 F. Supp. 513 ; United States v. Schoeneman, 317 F. 2d 173 ; People v. Di Giangiemo, 28 N Y 2d 929 ; People v. Mills, 31 A D 2d 433 , 26 N Y 2d 862 ; People v. Savino, 15 N Y 2d 778 , 382 U. S. 991 .) III. The court’s charge was fair and proper in all respects. (People v. Agron, 10 N Y 2d 130 ; People v. Gonzales, 20 N Y 2d 289 ; People v. Barclift, 14 N Y 2d 897 ; People v. Spinks, 37 A D 2d 424 ; United States v. Spenard, 438 F. 2d 717 ; People v. De Renzzio, 19 N Y 2d 45 ; United States v. Albright, 388 F. 2d 719 ; United States v. Currier, 405 F. 2d 1039 , 395 U. S. 914 ; United States v. Knohl, 379 F. 2d 427 .)

The evidence clearly established that the defendant had committed a vicious, depraved and nearly fatal assault on his 17-year-old victim in March of 1970, and was sufficient to sustain the conviction for assault in the second degree (Penal Law, § 120.05). Since the assault was directed at an “ intimate part ” of the victim’s body and was apparently motivated by a sadistic desire to obtain sexual gratification, the evidence also indicated that the defendant might have been guilty of sexual abuse in the first degree (Penal Law, § 130.65). This latter crime, which was not charged in the indictment, requires corroboration (Penal Law, § 130.15), and although there was ample medical testimony to establish the assault, absent the victim’s testimony, there was nothing to connect the defendant with the crime.

The fact that the evidence revealed that the defendant might have been guilty of this uncharged sex offense as well as assault, imposed no additional burden on the People. The argument that the victim’s testimony must be corroborated whenever it indicates that the defendant has committed or might have committed, any sex offense requiring corroboration, is not supported by current law. (See People v. Jenkins, 22 N Y 2d 675 , 677.)

To extend the holding of People v. Radunovic ( 21 N Y 2d 186 , 190) to embrace this proposition would serve no useful purpose. The exact scope of the corroboration statute must be coextensive with the legislative intent. (People v. Lo Verde, 7 N Y 2d 114 ; People v. Reynolds, 25 N Y 2d 489 .) In view of the recent clarification of legislative intent manifested in section 130.15 (subd. 5) of the Penal Law application of the Radunovic principle to crimes committed prior to June 22,1972 must be guided by a strict adherence to the facts involved in Radunovic and the companion decisions.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

Chief Judge Fuld and Judges Burke, Breitel, Jasen, Gabrielli and Jones concur.

Order affirmed.

Cases cited

People v. English 16 N Y 2d 719 N.Y. 1965-07-09 p. 227, p. 228
People v. Young 22 N Y 2d 785 N.Y. 1968-06-14 p. 227, p. 228
People v. Lo Verde 7 N Y 2d 114 N.Y. 1959-12-30 p. 227, p. 228
People v. Masse 5 N Y 2d 217 N.Y. 1959-01-23 p. 227
People v. Butt 35 A D 2d 585 N.Y. App. Div. 1970-07-20 p. 227
People v. Hensler 35 A D 2d 527 N.Y. App. Div. 1970-07-02 p. 227
People v. Colon 37 A D 2d 21 N.Y. App. Div. 1971-06-14 p. 227
People v. Osinski 281 N. Y. 129 N.Y. 1939-07-11 p. 227
People v. Katz 290 N. Y. 361 N.Y. 1943-04-22 p. 227
People v. Rytel 284 N. Y. 242 N.Y. 1940-11-19 p. 227
People v. Martin 49 Misc 2d 268 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1966-02-03 p. 228
Jones v. United States 362 U. S. 257 SCOTUS 1960-03-28 p. 228
People ex rel. Robert Simpson Co. v. Kempner 208 N. Y. 16 N.Y. 1913-03-25 p. 228
People v. Grossman 45 Misc 2d 557 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1965-02-28 p. 228
Berger v. New York 388 U. S. 41 SCOTUS 1967-06-12 p. 228
Gouled v. United States 255 U. S. 298 SCOTUS 1921-02-28 p. 228
Marron v. United States 275 U. S. 192 SCOTUS 1927-11-21 p. 228
SGRO v. United States 287 U. S. 206 SCOTUS 1932-12-05 p. 228
People v. Hughes 31 A D 2d 235 N.Y. App. Div. 1969-01-09 p. 228
People v. Jones 27 N Y 2d 222 N.Y. 1970-11-18 p. 228
People v. Brown 19 A D 2d 599 N.Y. App. Div. 1963-06-11 p. 228
People v. Kelly 302 N. Y. 512 N.Y. 1951-06-01 p. 228
People v. Radunovic 21 N Y 2d 186 N.Y. 1967-12-28 at 190 p. 228
People v. Moore 23 N Y 2d 565 N.Y. 1969-01-23 p. 228
People v. Lennon 22 N Y 2d 677 N.Y. 1968-05-16 p. 228
People v. Jenkins 22 N Y 2d 675 N.Y. 1968-05-16 at 677 p. 228
People v. Ennis 30 N Y 2d 526 N.Y. 1972-02-10 p. 228
People v. Colon 29 N Y 2d 600 N.Y. 1971-07-07 p. 228
Warden, Maryland Penitentiary v. Hayden 387 U. S. 294 SCOTUS 1967-05-29 p. 228
People v. Givens 21 N Y 2d 929 N.Y. 1968-04-04 p. 228
People v. Di Giangiemo 28 N Y 2d 929 N.Y. 1971-05-26 p. 228
People v. Mills 31 A D 2d 433 N.Y. App. Div. 1969-03-27 p. 228
People v. Mills 26 N Y 2d 862 N.Y. 1970-03-05 p. 228
People v. Savino 15 N Y 2d 778 N.Y. 1965-02-04 p. 228
People v. Agron 10 N Y 2d 130 N.Y. 1961-07-07 p. 228
People v. Gonzalez 20 N Y 2d 289 N.Y. 1967-07-07 p. 228
People v. Barclift 14 N Y 2d 897 N.Y. 1964-07-10 p. 228
People v. Spinks 37 A D 2d 424 N.Y. App. Div. 1971-12-01 p. 228
People v. De Renzzio 19 N Y 2d 45 N.Y. 1966-12-30 p. 228
People v. Reynolds 25 N Y 2d 489 N.Y. 1969-12-10 p. 228