RIVERHEAD – Suffolk County Court Judge John N. Mullin has dismissed a burglary indictment against a defendant whom the judge found was “denied a meaningful and reasonable opportunity” to testify before a grand jury. It was his second decision in a month that spotlights what many see as the potentially grave consequences for felony defendants who are arraigned without counsel.
Defense attorneys in Suffolk have complained about a failure to provide Legal Aid or 18-B representation at all felony arraignments, particularly in town, village and district courts. While many cases have been resolved individually, Judge Mullin’s rulings in People v. Latta, 2307-01, are believed to be the first time the broader situation has been addressed.
