Bill Text: NY S06239 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Permits the court to withhold the names and addresses of jurors in certain proceedings; sets factors for determining good cause to issue protective orders for juries.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-04 - ADVANCED TO THIRD READING [S06239 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S06239-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6239

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      April 5, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes

        AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in  relation  to  protective
          orders for juries

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of  section  270.15  of  the
     2  criminal  procedure  law, as amended by chapter 467 of the laws of 1985,
     3  is amended to read as follows:
     4    (a) If no challenge to the panel is  made  as  prescribed  by  section
     5  270.10 of this article, or if such challenge is made and disallowed, the
     6  court shall direct that the names of not less than twelve members of the
     7  panel  be drawn and called as prescribed by the judiciary law, except as
     8  otherwise required by this section.  Such persons shall take their plac-
     9  es in the jury box and shall be immediately sworn to  answer  truthfully
    10  questions asked them relative to their qualifications to serve as jurors
    11  in  the  action.  In  its  discretion, the court may require prospective
    12  jurors to complete a questionnaire concerning their ability to serve  as
    13  fair  and impartial jurors, including but not limited to place of birth,
    14  current address, education, occupation, prior  jury  service,  knowledge
    15  of,  relationship  to,  or contact with the court, any party, witness or
    16  attorney in the action and any other fact relevant to his or her service
    17  on the jury. An official form for such questionnaire shall be  developed
    18  by the chief administrator of the courts in consultation with the admin-
    19  istrative board of the courts. A copy of questionnaires completed by the
    20  members of the panel shall be given to the court and each attorney prior
    21  to examination of prospective jurors.
    22    §  2. Subdivision 1-a of section 270.15 of the criminal procedure law,
    23  as added by chapter 684 of the laws of  1983,  is  amended  to  read  as
    24  follows:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10715-01-3
        S. 6239                             2

     1    1-a.  The  court may for good cause shown, upon motion of either party
     2  or any affected person or upon its own initiative,  issue  a  protective
     3  order  for  a  stated  period regulating disclosure of the names and the
     4  business or residential address of any prospective or sworn juror to any
     5  person  or  persons,  other than to counsel for either party. [Such good
     6  cause shall exist where the court determines that there is a  likelihood
     7  of  bribery,  jury  tampering or of physical injury or harassment of the
     8  juror.] In determining whether good cause exists, the court may  consid-
     9  er:
    10    (a) whether the defendant or persons acting on behalf of the defendant
    11  have  bribed,  tampered  with,  or caused or attempted to cause physical
    12  injury to or harassed a juror or prospective juror in  another  criminal
    13  action or proceeding or in the instant criminal action or proceeding;
    14    (b)  the  seriousness  of the charges against the defendant, including
    15  whether the defendant is charged with  participating  in  a  large-scale
    16  criminal enterprise; and
    17    (c) the extent of pretrial publicity concerning the criminal action or
    18  proceeding.
    19    § 3. Section 270.15 of the criminal procedure law is amended by adding
    20  a new subdivision 1-b to read as follows:
    21    1-b.  If the court determines that a protective order should be issued
    22  and that all jurors or prospective jurors shall be  identified  by  some
    23  means  other than their names and business or residential addresses, the
    24  court shall instruct the jury that the fact that the jury  was  selected
    25  on an anonymous basis is not a factor from which any inference unfavora-
    26  ble to the defendant may be drawn.
    27    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.