STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
215
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
(Prefiled)
January 4, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sens. MYRIE, BAILEY, BRISPORT, BROUK, CLEARE, COMRIE,
COONEY, GIANARIS, GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, HOYLMAN, JACKSON, KAVANAGH,
KRUEGER, LIU, MAY, PARKER, RAMOS, RIVERA, SALAZAR, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO,
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 motions to
vacate judgment; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating
thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The criminal procedure law is amended by adding two new
2 sections 440.00 and 440.11 to read as follows:
3 § 440.00 Definition.
4 As used in this article, the term "applicant" means a person previous-
5 ly convicted of a crime who is applying for relief under this article.
6 § 440.11 Motion to vacate judgment; change in the law.
7 1. At any time after the entry of a judgment obtained at trial or by
8 plea, the court in which it was entered may, upon motion of the appli-
9 cant, vacate such judgment upon the ground that:
10 (a) The applicant was convicted of any offense in the state of New
11 York which has been subsequently decriminalized and is thus a legal
12 nullity.
13 (b) There has been a change, whether substantive or procedural, in the
14 law or laws applied in the process leading to the applicant's conviction
15 where sufficient reason exists to allow retroactive application of the
16 changed legal standard.
17 2. If the court grants a motion under this section, it must vacate the
18 judgment on the merits, dismiss the accusatory instrument, seal the
19 judgment, and may take such additional action as is appropriate in the
20 circumstances.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00806-01-3
S. 215 2
1 § 2. Section 440.10 of the criminal procedure law, paragraph (g-1) of
2 subdivision 1 as added by chapter 19 of the laws of 2012, paragraph (h)
3 of subdivision 1, paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 and subdivision 4 as
4 amended and subdivisions 7 and 8 as renumbered by chapter 332 of the
5 laws of 2010, paragraph (i) of subdivision 1 and subdivision 6 as
6 amended by chapter 629 of the laws of 2021, paragraph (j) of subdivision
7 1 as amended by chapter 131 of the laws of 2019, paragraph (k) of subdi-
8 vision 1 as amended by chapter 92 of the laws of 2021, paragraphs (b)
9 and (c) of subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 501 of the laws of 2021,
10 and subdivision 9 as added by section 4 of part OO of chapter 55 of the
11 laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
12 § 440.10 Motion to vacate judgment.
13 1. At any time after the entry of a judgment obtained at trial or by
14 plea, the court in which it was entered may, upon motion of the [defend-
15 ant] applicant, vacate such judgment upon the ground that:
16 (a) The court did not have jurisdiction of the action or of the person
17 of the [defendant] applicant; or
18 (b) The judgment was procured by duress, misrepresentation or fraud on
19 the part of the court or a prosecutor or a person acting for or in
20 behalf of a court or a prosecutor; or
21 (c) [Material evidence] Evidence adduced at a trial resulting in the
22 judgment or that was relied upon by any party as a basis for a plea
23 agreement was false [and was, prior to the entry of the judgment, known
24 by the prosecutor or by the court to be false]; or
25 (d) [Material evidence] Evidence adduced by the people at a trial
26 resulting in the judgment or that was relied upon by any party as a
27 basis for a plea agreement was procured in violation of the [defend-
28 ant's] applicant's rights under the constitution of this state or of the
29 United States; or
30 (e) During the proceedings resulting in the judgment, the [defendant]
31 applicant, by reason of mental disease or defect, was incapable of
32 understanding or participating in such proceedings; or
33 (f) Improper [and prejudicial] conduct not appearing in the record
34 occurred during a trial resulting in the judgment which conduct, if it
35 had appeared in the record, would have [required] made possible a
36 reversal of the judgment upon an appeal therefrom; or
37 (g) New evidence has been discovered [since the entry of a judgment
38 based upon a verdict of guilty after trial, which could not have been
39 produced by the defendant at the trial even with due diligence on his
40 part and which] or become available that, when viewed alone or with
41 other evidence, is of such character as to create a reasonable probabil-
42 ity that had such evidence been received at the trial or discovered
43 prior to trial or plea agreement that the verdict or plea would have
44 been more favorable to the [defendant; provided that a motion based upon
45 such ground must be made with due diligence after the discovery of such
46 alleged new evidence] applicant. Types of new evidence shall include,
47 but not be limited to newly available forensic evidence or evidence that
48 has either been repudiated by the expert who originally provided the
49 opinion at a hearing or trial or that has been undermined by later
50 scientific research or technological advances; or
51 (g-1) [Forensic DNA] In cases involving the forensic testing of
52 evidence performed since the entry of a judgment, [(1) in the case of a
53 defendant convicted after a guilty plea, the court has determined that
54 the defendant has demonstrated a substantial probability that the
55 defendant was actually innocent of the offense of which he or she was
56 convicted, or (2) in the case of a defendant convicted after a trial,]
S. 215 3
1 the court has determined that there exists a reasonable probability that
2 the verdict or plea offer would have been more favorable to the [defend-
3 ant] applicant, or the applicant would have rejected the plea offer.
4 (h) The judgment was obtained in violation of a right of the [defend-
5 ant] applicant under the constitution of this state or of the United
6 States, including, but not limited to, a judgment entered, whether upon
7 trial or guilty plea, against an applicant who is actually innocent. An
8 applicant is actually innocent where the applicant proves by a prepon-
9 derance of the evidence that no reasonable jury of the applicant's peers
10 would have found the applicant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; or
11 (i) The judgment is a conviction where the [defendant's] applicant's
12 participation in the offense was a result of having been a victim of sex
13 trafficking under section 230.34 of the penal law, sex trafficking of a
14 child under section 230.34-a of the penal law, labor trafficking under
15 section 135.35 of the penal law, aggravated labor trafficking under
16 section 135.37 of the penal law, compelling prostitution under section
17 230.33 of the penal law, or trafficking in persons under the Trafficking
18 Victims Protection Act (United States Code, title 22, chapter 78);
19 provided that
20 (i) official documentation of the [defendant's] applicant's status as
21 a victim of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, aggravated labor traf-
22 ficking, compelling prostitution, or trafficking in persons at the time
23 of the offense from a federal, state or local government agency shall
24 create a presumption that the [defendant's] applicant's participation in
25 the offense was a result of having been a victim of sex trafficking,
26 labor trafficking, aggravated labor trafficking, compelling prostitution
27 or trafficking in persons, but shall not be required for granting a
28 motion under this paragraph;
29 (ii) a motion under this paragraph, and all pertinent papers and docu-
30 ments, shall be confidential and may not be made available to any person
31 or public or private [entity] agency except [where] when specifically
32 authorized by the court; and
33 (iii) when a motion is filed under this paragraph, the court may, upon
34 the consent of the petitioner and all of the involved state [and] or
35 local prosecutorial agencies [that prosecuted each matter], consolidate
36 into one proceeding a motion to vacate judgments imposed by distinct or
37 multiple criminal courts; or
38 (j) The judgment is a conviction for [a class A or unclassified] any
39 misdemeanor entered prior to the effective date of this paragraph [and
40 satisfies the ground prescribed in paragraph (h) of this subdivision]
41 that resulted in ongoing collateral consequences, including potential or
42 actual immigration consequences. There shall be a rebuttable presump-
43 tion that a conviction by plea to such an offense was not knowing,
44 voluntary and intelligent, [based on ongoing collateral consequences,
45 including potential or actual immigration consequences, and there] and
46 thus rendered the plea constitutionally defective pursuant to paragraph
47 (h) of this subdivision. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a
48 conviction by verdict to such an offense constitutes cruel and unusual
49 punishment under section five of article one of the state constitution
50 based on such consequences and thus rendered the verdict constitu-
51 tionally defective pursuant to paragraph (h) of this subdivision; or
52 (j-1) The judgment is a conviction for a class D or E felony entered
53 prior to the effective date of this paragraph for which the sentence
54 imposed was one year, and such sentence resulted in ongoing collateral
55 consequences, including potential or actual immigration consequences.
56 There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a conviction by plea to
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1 such an offense was not knowing, voluntary and intelligent, and thus
2 rendered the plea constitutionally defective pursuant to paragraph (h)
3 of this subdivision. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a
4 conviction by verdict to such an offense constitutes cruel and unusual
5 punishment under section five of article one of the state constitution
6 based on such consequences, and thus rendered the verdict constitu-
7 tionally defective pursuant to paragraph (h) of this subdivision; or
8 (k) The judgment occurred prior to the effective date of the laws of
9 two thousand [twenty-one] twenty-three that amended this paragraph and
10 is a conviction for an offense as defined in [subparagraphs] subpara-
11 graph (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of paragraph (k) of subdivision three of
12 section 160.50 of this part, or a misdemeanor under the former article
13 two hundred twenty-one of the penal law, in which case the court shall
14 presume that a conviction by plea for the aforementioned offenses was
15 not knowing, voluntary and intelligent if it has severe or ongoing
16 consequences, including but not limited to potential or actual immi-
17 gration consequences, and shall presume that a conviction by verdict for
18 the aforementioned offenses constitutes cruel and unusual punishment
19 under section five of article one of the state constitution, based on
20 those consequences. The people may rebut these presumptions[.]; or
21 (l) Any offense in the state of New York that an intermediate appel-
22 late court, court of appeals, or United States federal court has deemed
23 in violation of the constitution of this state or of the United States,
24 or any other right under state or federal law.
25 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, the court [must]
26 may deny a motion to vacate a judgment when:
27 (a) The ground or issue raised upon the motion was previously deter-
28 mined on the merits upon an appeal from the judgment, unless since the
29 time of such appellate determination there has been a retroactively
30 effective change in the law controlling such issue. However, if all of
31 the evidence currently before the court was not duly considered previ-
32 ously by the court, the court shall grant the motion or order the hear-
33 ing; or
34 (b) The judgment is, at the time of the motion, appealable or pending
35 on appeal, and sufficient facts appear on the record with respect to the
36 ground or issue raised upon the motion to permit adequate review thereof
37 upon such an appeal unless the issue raised upon such motion is ineffec-
38 tive assistance of counsel. This paragraph shall not apply to a motion
39 under paragraph (i), (j), (k) or (l) of subdivision one of this section;
40 or
41 (c) [Although sufficient facts appear on the record of the proceedings
42 underlying the judgment to have permitted, upon appeal from such judg-
43 ment, adequate review of the ground or issue raised upon the motion, no
44 such appellate review or determination occurred owing to the defendant's
45 unjustifiable failure to take or perfect an appeal during the prescribed
46 period or to his or her unjustifiable failure to raise such ground or
47 issue upon an appeal actually perfected by him or her unless the issue
48 raised upon such motion is ineffective assistance of counsel; or
49 (d)] The ground or issue raised relates solely to the validity of the
50 sentence and not to the validity of the conviction. In such case, the
51 court shall deem the motion to have been made pursuant to section 440.20
52 of this article.
53 [3. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, the court may
54 deny a motion to vacate a judgment when:
55 (a) Although facts in support of the ground or issue raised upon the
56 motion could with due diligence by the defendant have readily been made
S. 215 5
1 to appear on the record in a manner providing adequate basis for review
2 of such ground or issue upon an appeal from the judgment, the defendant
3 unjustifiably failed to adduce such matter prior to sentence and the
4 ground or issue in question was not subsequently determined upon appeal.
5 This paragraph does not apply to a motion based upon deprivation of the
6 right to counsel at the trial or upon failure of the trial court to
7 advise the defendant of such right, or to a motion under paragraph (i)
8 of subdivision one of this section; or
9 (b) The ground or issue raised upon the motion was previously deter-
10 mined on the merits upon a prior motion or proceeding in a court of this
11 state, other than an appeal from the judgment, or upon a motion or
12 proceeding in a federal court; unless since the time of such determi-
13 nation there has been a retroactively effective change in the law
14 controlling such issue; or
15 (c) Upon a previous motion made pursuant to this section, the defend-
16 ant was in a position adequately to raise the ground or issue underlying
17 the present motion but did not do so.]
18 (d) Although the court may deny the motion under any of the circum-
19 stances specified in this subdivision, in the interest of justice and
20 for good cause shown it may in its discretion grant the motion if it is
21 otherwise meritorious and vacate the judgment.
22 [4.] 3. If the court grants the motion, it must, except as provided in
23 subdivision [five] four or [six] five of this section, vacate the judg-
24 ment, and must either:
25 (a) dismiss and seal the accusatory instrument, or
26 (b) order a new trial, or
27 (c) take such other action as is appropriate in the circumstances.
28 [5.] 4. Upon granting the motion upon the ground, as prescribed in
29 paragraph (g) of subdivision one, that newly discovered evidence creates
30 a probability that had such evidence been received at the trial the
31 verdict would have been more favorable to the [defendant] applicant in
32 that the conviction would have been for a lesser offense than the one
33 contained in the verdict, the court may either:
34 (a) Vacate the judgment and order a new trial; or
35 (b) With the consent of the people, modify the judgment by reducing it
36 to one of conviction for such lesser offense. In such case, the court
37 must re-sentence the [defendant] applicant accordingly.
38 [6.] 5. If the court grants a motion under [paragraph (i) or] para-
39 graph [(k)] (h), (i), (j), (k) or (l) of subdivision one of this
40 section, it must vacate the judgment [and] on the merits, dismiss the
41 accusatory instrument, seal the judgment, and may take such additional
42 action as is appropriate in the circumstances. [In the case of a motion
43 granted under paragraph (i) of subdivision one of this section, the
44 court must vacate the judgment on the merits because the defendant's
45 participation in the offense was a result of having been a victim of
46 trafficking.
47 7.] 6. Upon a new trial resulting from an order vacating a judgment
48 pursuant to this section, the indictment is deemed to contain all the
49 counts and to charge all the offenses which it contained and charged at
50 the time the previous trial was commenced, regardless of whether any
51 count was dismissed by the court in the course of such trial, except (a)
52 those upon or of which the [defendant] applicant was acquitted or deemed
53 to have been acquitted, and (b) those dismissed by the order vacating
54 the judgment, and (c) those previously dismissed by an appellate court
55 upon an appeal from the judgment, or by any court upon a previous post-
56 judgment motion.
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1 [8.] 7. Upon an order which vacates a judgment based upon a plea of
2 guilty to an accusatory instrument or a part thereof, but which does not
3 dismiss the entire accusatory instrument, the criminal action is, in the
4 absence of an express direction to the contrary, restored to its
5 [prepleading] pre-pleading status and the accusatory instrument is
6 deemed to contain all the counts and to charge all the offenses which it
7 contained and charged at the time of the entry of the plea, except those
8 subsequently dismissed under circumstances specified in paragraphs (b)
9 and (c) of subdivision six. Where the plea of guilty was entered and
10 accepted, pursuant to subdivision three of section 220.30, upon the
11 condition that it constituted a complete disposition not only of the
12 accusatory instrument underlying the judgment vacated but also of one or
13 more other accusatory instruments against the [defendant] applicant then
14 pending in the same court, the order of vacation completely restores
15 such other accusatory instruments; and such is the case even though such
16 order dismisses the main accusatory instrument underlying the judgment.
17 [9.] 8. Upon granting of a motion pursuant to paragraph (j) of subdi-
18 vision one of this section, the court [may] must vacate the judgment and
19 may, in addition to the remedies in subdivision three of this section,
20 either:
21 (a) With the consent of the people, [vacate the judgment or] modify
22 the judgment by reducing it to one of conviction for a lesser offense or
23 allow the applicant to replead to a disposition agreed upon by the
24 parties; or
25 (b) [Vacate the judgment and order a new trial wherein the defendant
26 enters] Permit the applicant to enter a plea to the same offense [in
27 order to permit the court to] and resentence the [defendant] applicant
28 in accordance with the amendatory provisions of subdivision one-a of
29 section 70.15 of the penal law.
30 9. Upon granting of a motion pursuant to paragraph j-1 of subdivision
31 one of this section, the court must vacate the judgment and permit the
32 applicant to enter a plea to the same offense in order to permit the
33 court to resentence the applicant to three hundred sixty-four days.
34 10. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the court
35 must order a hearing and address the merits of any claim for relief when
36 the applicant asserts that, in light of all available evidence, there
37 exists a colorable claim that he or she is actually innocent. When the
38 applicant raises an actual innocence claim based on, in whole or part,
39 new evidence of actual innocence, the court may not summarily deny the
40 motion on the ground that the applicant previously moved for relief
41 under this article.
42 § 3. Section 440.20 of the criminal procedure law, subdivision 1 as
43 amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
44 § 440.20 Motion to set aside sentence; by [defendant] applicant.
45 1. At any time after the entry of a judgment, the court in which the
46 judgment was entered may, upon motion of the [defendant] applicant, set
47 aside the sentence upon the ground that it was unauthorized, illegally
48 imposed, exceeded the maximum allowed by law, obtained or imposed in
49 violation of the defendant's constitutional rights, or was otherwise
50 invalid as a matter of law. Where the judgment includes a sentence of
51 death, the court may also set aside the sentence upon any of the grounds
52 set forth in paragraph (b), (c), (f), (g) or (h) of subdivision one of
53 section 440.10 as applied to a separate sentencing proceeding under
54 section 400.27, provided, however, that to the extent the ground or
55 grounds asserted include one or more of the aforesaid paragraphs of
56 subdivision one of section 440.10, the court must also apply [subdivi-
S. 215 7
1 sions] subdivision two [and three] of section 440.10, other than para-
2 graph [(d)] (c) of [subdivision two of] such [section] subdivision, in
3 determining the motion. In the event the court enters an order granting
4 a motion to set aside a sentence of death under this section, the court
5 must either direct a new sentencing proceeding in accordance with
6 section 400.27 or, to the extent that the defendant cannot be resen-
7 tenced to death consistent with the laws of this state or the constitu-
8 tion of this state or of the United States, resentence the defendant to
9 life imprisonment without parole or to a sentence of imprisonment for
10 the class A-I felony of murder in the first degree other than a sentence
11 of life imprisonment without parole. Upon granting the motion upon any
12 of the grounds set forth in the aforesaid paragraphs of subdivision one
13 of section 440.10 and setting aside the sentence, the court must afford
14 the people a reasonable period of time, which shall not be less than ten
15 days, to determine whether to take an appeal from the order setting
16 aside the sentence of death. The taking of an appeal by the people stays
17 the effectiveness of that portion of the court's order that directs a
18 new sentencing proceeding.
19 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, the court
20 [must] may deny such a motion when the ground or issue raised thereupon
21 was previously determined on the merits upon an appeal from the judgment
22 or sentence, unless since the time of such appellate determination there
23 has been a retroactively effective change in the law controlling such
24 issue. However, if all of the evidence currently before the court was
25 not duly considered previously by the court, the court shall not deny
26 the motion to vacate and instead shall order a hearing or grant the
27 motion. Even if the court has already considered all of the evidence
28 currently before the court, the court in the interest of justice and for
29 good cause shown may grant the motion if it is otherwise meritorious.
30 3. [Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, the court may
31 deny such a motion when the ground or issue raised thereupon was previ-
32 ously determined on the merits upon a prior motion or proceeding in a
33 court of this state, other than an appeal from the judgment, or upon a
34 prior motion or proceeding in a federal court, unless since the time of
35 such determination there has been a retroactively effective change in
36 the law controlling such issue. Despite such determination, however,
37 the court in the interest of justice and for good cause shown, may in
38 its discretion grant the motion if it is otherwise meritorious.
39 4.] An order setting aside a sentence pursuant to this section does
40 not affect the validity or status of the underlying conviction, and
41 after entering such an order the court must resentence the [defendant]
42 applicant in accordance with the law.
43 § 4. Section 440.30 of the criminal procedure law, subdivisions 1 and
44 1-a as amended by chapter 19 of the laws of 2012 and the opening para-
45 graph of paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 as amended by section 10 of part
46 LLL of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
47 § 440.30 Motion to vacate judgment and to set aside sentence; procedure.
48 1. (a) [A] An application for a motion to vacate a judgment pursuant
49 to section 440.10 or 440.11 of this article and a motion to set aside a
50 sentence pursuant to section 440.20 of this article must be made in
51 writing by the applicant or their counsel to the judge or justice who
52 imposed the original sentence and upon reasonable notice to the people.
53 [Upon the motion, a defendant] If, at the time of such person's request
54 to apply for relief pursuant to this article, the original sentencing
55 judge or justice no longer works in the court in which the original
56 sentence was imposed, then the request shall be randomly assigned to
S. 215 8
1 another judge or justice of the court in which the original sentence was
2 imposed.
3 (b) Upon the submission of an application for relief under this arti-
4 cle, unless the applicant is represented by counsel or affirmatively
5 states an intention to represent themselves pro se, the court shall
6 assign defense counsel if the applicant is indigent or otherwise quali-
7 fies for free representation in accordance with the provisions of subdi-
8 vision one of section seven hundred seventeen and subdivision four of
9 section seven hundred twenty-two of the county law and the related
10 provisions of article eighteen-A of such law.
11 (c) Upon making a determination as to assignment of counsel, the court
12 shall also promptly order the disclosure of discovery to the person
13 applying for relief and his or her counsel. The order of disclosure of
14 discovery shall include that:
15 (i) The people produce all items and information that relate to the
16 subject matter of the case and are in the possession, custody and
17 control of the prosecution or persons under their direction or control
18 and make available for inspection any physical evidence secured in
19 connection with the investigation or prosecution of the applicant,
20 including all evidence that would be discoverable pursuant to section
21 245.20 of this part; and
22 (ii) The applicant's prior trial and appellate counsel shall make
23 available to the applicant or his or her counsel their complete files
24 relating to the case; and
25 (iii) Court clerks and probation departments shall make available to
26 the applicant or his or her counsel the court files or probation records
27 pertaining to the case; and
28 (iv) Nothing in this section shall preclude the court from conducting
29 an in camera inspection of evidence and issuing a protective order
30 pursuant to section 245.70 of this part at the request of the prose-
31 cution or defense.
32 (v) The discovery order will require that the people and prior defense
33 counsel turn over all relevant discovery to the person applying for
34 relief or their counsel no later than thirty days from the issuance of
35 the court's discovery order.
36 (d) (i) An applicant who is in a position adequately to raise more
37 than one ground should raise every such ground upon which he or she
38 intends to challenge the judgment or sentence. If the motion is based
39 upon the existence or occurrence of facts, the motion papers [must] may
40 contain sworn allegations thereof, whether by the [defendant] applicant
41 or by another person or persons. Such sworn allegations may be based
42 upon personal knowledge of the affiant or upon information and belief,
43 provided that in the latter event the affiant must state the sources of
44 such information and the grounds of such belief. The [defendant] appli-
45 cant may further submit documentary evidence or information supporting
46 or tending to support the allegations of the moving papers.
47 (ii) The people may file with the court, and in such case must serve a
48 copy thereof upon the [defendant] applicant or his or her counsel, if
49 any, an answer denying or admitting any or all of the allegations of the
50 motion papers, and may further submit documentary evidence or informa-
51 tion refuting or tending to refute such allegations.
52 (iii) After all papers of both parties have been filed, and after all
53 documentary evidence or information, if any, has been submitted, the
54 court must consider the same for the purpose of ascertaining whether the
55 motion is determinable without a hearing to resolve questions of fact.
S. 215 9
1 [(b) In conjunction with the filing or consideration of a motion to
2 vacate a judgment pursuant to section 440.10 of this article by a
3 defendant convicted after a trial, in cases where the court has ordered
4 an evidentiary hearing upon such motion, the court may order that the
5 people produce or make available for inspection property in its
6 possession, custody, or control that was secured in connection with the
7 investigation or prosecution of the defendant upon credible allegations
8 by the defendant and a finding by the court that such property, if
9 obtained, would be probative to the determination of defendant's actual
10 innocence, and that the request is reasonable. The court shall deny or
11 limit such a request upon a finding that such a request, if granted,
12 would threaten the integrity or chain of custody of property or the
13 integrity of the processes or functions of a laboratory conducting DNA
14 testing, pose a risk of harm, intimidation, embarrassment, reprisal, or
15 other substantially negative consequences to any person, undermine the
16 proper functions of law enforcement including the confidentiality of
17 informants, or on the basis of any other factor identified by the court
18 in the interests of justice or public safety. The court shall further
19 ensure that any property produced pursuant to this paragraph is subject
20 to a protective order, where appropriate. The court shall deny any
21 request made pursuant to this paragraph where:
22 (i) (1) the defendant's motion pursuant to section 440.10 of this
23 article does not seek to demonstrate his or her actual innocence of the
24 offense or offenses of which he or she was convicted that are the
25 subject of the motion, or (2) the defendant has not presented credible
26 allegations and the court has not found that such property, if obtained,
27 would be probative to the determination of the defendant's actual inno-
28 cence and that the request is reasonable;
29 (ii) the defendant has made his or her motion after five years from
30 the date of the judgment of conviction; provided, however, that this
31 limitation period shall be tolled for five years if the defendant is in
32 custody in connection with the conviction that is the subject of his or
33 her motion, and provided further that, notwithstanding such limitation
34 periods, the court may consider the motion if the defendant has shown:
35 (A) that he or she has been pursuing his or her rights diligently and
36 that some extraordinary circumstance prevented the timely filing of the
37 motion; (B) that the facts upon which the motion is predicated were
38 unknown to the defendant or his or her attorney and could not have been
39 ascertained by the exercise of due diligence prior to the expiration of
40 the statute of limitations; or (C) considering all circumstances of the
41 case including but not limited to evidence of the defendant's guilt, the
42 impact of granting or denying such motion upon public confidence in the
43 criminal justice system, or upon the safety or welfare of the community,
44 and the defendant's diligence in seeking to obtain the requested proper-
45 ty or related relief, the interests of justice would be served by
46 considering the motion;
47 (iii) the defendant is challenging a judgment convicting him or her of
48 an offense that is not a felony defined in section 10.00 of the penal
49 law; or
50 (iv) upon a finding by the court that the property requested in this
51 motion would be available through other means through reasonable efforts
52 by the defendant to obtain such property.
53 1-a.] 2. (a) [(1)] (i) Where the [defendant's] applicant's motion
54 requests the performance of a forensic DNA test on specified evidence,
55 and upon the court's determination that any evidence containing deoxyri-
56 bonucleic acid ("DNA") was secured in connection with the trial or the
S. 215 10
1 plea resulting in the judgment, the court shall grant the application
2 for forensic DNA testing of such evidence [upon its determination that
3 if a DNA test had been conducted on such evidence, and if the results
4 had been admitted in the trial resulting in the judgment, there exists a
5 reasonable probability that the verdict would have been more favorable
6 to the defendant.
7 (2) Where the defendant's motion for forensic DNA testing of specified
8 evidence is made following a plea of guilty and entry of judgment there-
9 on convicting him or her of: (A) a homicide offense defined in article
10 one hundred twenty-five of the penal law, any felony sex offense defined
11 in article one hundred thirty of the penal law, a violent felony offense
12 as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section 70.02 of the
13 penal law, or (B) any other felony offense to which he or she pled guil-
14 ty after being charged in an indictment or information in superior court
15 with one or more of the offenses listed in clause (A) of this subpara-
16 graph, then the court shall grant such a motion upon its determination
17 that evidence containing DNA was secured in connection with the investi-
18 gation or prosecution of the defendant, and if a DNA test had been
19 conducted on such evidence and the results had been known to the parties
20 prior to the entry of the defendant's plea and judgment thereon, there
21 exists a substantial probability that the evidence would have estab-
22 lished the defendant's actual innocence of the offense or offenses that
23 are the subject of the defendant's motion; provided, however, that:
24 (i) the court shall consider whether the defendant had the opportunity
25 to request such testing prior to entering a guilty plea, and, where it
26 finds that the defendant had such opportunity and unjustifiably failed
27 to do so, the court may deny such motion; and
28 (ii) a court shall deny the defendant's motion for forensic DNA test-
29 ing where the defendant has made his or her motion more than five years
30 after entry of the judgment of conviction; except that the limitation
31 period may be tolled if the defendant has shown: (A) that he or she has
32 been pursuing his or her rights diligently and that some extraordinary
33 circumstance prevented the timely filing of the motion for forensic DNA
34 testing; (B) that the facts upon which the motion is predicated were
35 unknown to the defendant or his or her attorney and could not have been
36 ascertained by the exercise of due diligence prior to the expiration of
37 this statute of limitations; or (C) considering all circumstances of the
38 case including but not limited to evidence of the defendant's guilt, the
39 impact of granting or denying such motion upon public confidence in the
40 criminal justice system, or upon the safety or welfare of the community,
41 and the defendant's diligence in seeking to obtain the requested proper-
42 ty or related relief, the interests of justice would be served by toll-
43 ing such limitation period].
44 (ii) Where the applicant's motion for relief requests the performance
45 of any other testing of forensic evidence or any physical evidence
46 secured in the case, the judge shall grant the application for testing
47 of such evidence, unless there is no reasonable probability that the
48 testing of this evidence could result in a different or improved outcome
49 for the person applying for relief.
50 (b) (i) In conjunction with the filing of a motion under this subdivi-
51 sion, the court may direct the people to provide the [defendant] appli-
52 cant and his or her counsel with information in the possession of the
53 people concerning the current physical location of the specified
54 evidence and if the specified evidence no longer exists or the physical
55 location of the specified evidence is unknown, a representation to that
56 effect and information and documentary evidence in the possession of the
S. 215 11
1 people concerning the last known physical location of such specified
2 evidence.
3 (ii) If there is a finding by the court that the specified evidence no
4 longer exists or the physical location of such specified evidence is
5 unknown, [such information in and of itself shall not be a factor from
6 which any inference unfavorable to the people may be drawn by the court
7 in deciding a motion under this section] the court shall grant the
8 applicant's motion and vacate the judgment.
9 (iii) The court, on motion of the [defendant] applicant, may also
10 issue a subpoena duces tecum directing a public or private hospital,
11 laboratory or other entity to produce such specified evidence in its
12 possession and/or information and documentary evidence in its possession
13 concerning the location and status of such specified evidence.
14 (c) In response to a motion under this paragraph, upon notice to the
15 parties and to the entity required to perform the search the court may
16 order an entity that has access to the combined DNA index system
17 ("CODIS") or its successor system to compare a DNA profile obtained from
18 probative biological material gathered in connection with the investi-
19 gation or prosecution of the [defendant] applicant against DNA databanks
20 by keyboard searches, or a similar method that does not involve upload-
21 ing, upon a court's determination that (1) such profile complies with
22 federal bureau of investigation or state requirements, whichever are
23 applicable and as such requirements are applied to law enforcement agen-
24 cies seeking such a comparison, and that the data meet state DNA index
25 system and/or national DNA index system criteria as such criteria are
26 applied to law enforcement agencies seeking such a comparison and (2) if
27 such comparison had been conducted, [and if the results had been admit-
28 ted in the trial resulting in the judgment,] a reasonable probability
29 exists that the verdict would have been more favorable to the [defend-
30 ant, or in a case involving a plea of guilty, if the results had been
31 available to the defendant prior to the plea, a reasonable probability
32 exists that the conviction would not have resulted] applicant. For
33 purposes of this subdivision, a "keyboard search" shall mean a search of
34 a DNA profile against the databank in which the profile that is searched
35 is not uploaded to or maintained in the databank.
36 [2. If it appears by conceded or uncontradicted allegations of the
37 moving papers or of the answer, or by unquestionable documentary proof,
38 that there are circumstances which require denial thereof pursuant to
39 subdivision two of section 440.10 or subdivision two of section 440.20,
40 the court must summarily deny the motion. If it appears that there are
41 circumstances authorizing, though not requiring, denial thereof pursuant
42 to subdivision three of section 440.10 or subdivision three of section
43 440.20, the court may in its discretion either (a) summarily deny the
44 motion, or (b) proceed to consider the merits thereof.]
45 3. Upon considering the merits of the motion, the court must grant it
46 without conducting a hearing and vacate the judgment or set aside the
47 sentence, as the case may be, if:
48 (a) The moving papers allege a ground constituting legal basis for the
49 motion; and
50 (b) Such ground, if based upon the existence or occurrence of facts,
51 is supported by sworn allegations thereof; and
52 (c) The sworn allegations of fact essential to support the motion are
53 either conceded by the people to be true or are conclusively substanti-
54 ated by unquestionable documentary proof.
55 4. Upon considering the merits of the motion, the court may deny it
56 without conducting a hearing if:
S. 215 12
1 (a) The moving papers do not allege any ground constituting legal
2 basis for the motion; or
3 (b) [The motion is based upon the existence or occurrence of facts and
4 the moving papers do not contain sworn allegations substantiating or
5 tending to substantiate all the essential facts, as required by subdivi-
6 sion one; or
7 (c)] An allegation of fact essential to support the motion is conclu-
8 sively refuted by unquestionable documentary proof; or
9 [(d)] (c) An allegation of fact essential to support the motion (i) is
10 contradicted by a court record or other official document[, or is made
11 solely by the defendant and is unsupported by any other affidavit or
12 evidence,] and (ii) under these and all the other circumstances attend-
13 ing the case, there is no reasonable possibility that such allegation is
14 true.
15 5. If the court does not determine the motion pursuant to subdivisions
16 two, three or four, it must conduct a hearing and make findings of fact
17 essential to the determination thereof. The [defendant] applicant has a
18 right to be present at such hearing but may waive such right in writing.
19 If he or she does not so waive it and if he or she is confined in a
20 prison or other institution of this state, the court must cause him or
21 her to be produced at such hearing.
22 6. At such a hearing, the [defendant] applicant has the burden of
23 proving by a preponderance of the evidence every fact essential to
24 support the motion. At the hearing, defense counsel shall receive a
25 daily copy of the hearing minutes.
26 7. Regardless of whether a hearing was conducted, the court, upon
27 determining the motion, must set forth on the record its findings of
28 fact, its conclusions of law and the reasons for its determination.
29 § 5. Subdivision 4 of section 450.10 of the criminal procedure law, as
30 amended by chapter 671 of the laws of 1971 and as renumbered by chapter
31 516 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
32 4. An order, entered pursuant to [section 440.40, setting aside a
33 sentence other than one of death, upon motion of the People] article
34 four hundred forty of this title, shall be authorized to an intermediate
35 appellate court as a matter of right.
36 § 6. Subdivision 5 of section 450.10 of the criminal procedure law is
37 REPEALED.
38 § 7. Severability. If any provision of this act, or any application of
39 any provision of this act, is held to be invalid, that shall not affect
40 the validity or effectiveness of any other provision of this act, or of
41 any other application of any provision of this act, which can be given
42 effect without that provision or application; and to that end, the
43 provisions and applications of this act are severable.
44 § 8. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
45 have become a law; provided, however, that paragraphs (b) and (c) of
46 subdivision 1 of section 440.30 of the criminal procedure law as added
47 by section four of this act shall take effect one year after it shall
48 have become a law.