Section 380.50. Statements at time of sentence  


Latest version.
  • 1.  At  the  time  of  pronouncing sentence, the court must accord the
      prosecutor an opportunity to make a statement with respect to any matter
      relevant to the question of  sentence.    The  court  must  then  accord
      counsel  for  the  defendant  an  opportunity  to speak on behalf of the
      defendant. The  defendant  also  has  the  right  to  make  a  statement
      personally in his or her own behalf, and before pronouncing sentence the
      court  must  ask  the  defendant whether he or she wishes to make such a
      statement.
        2. (a) For purposes of this section "victim" shall mean:
        (1) the victim as indicated in the accusatory instrument; or
        (2) if such victim is  unable  or  unwilling  to  express  himself  or
      herself  before the court or a person so mentally or physically disabled
      as to make it impracticable to appear in court in person or  the  victim
      is  deceased,  a  member  of  the  family  of  such victim, or the legal
      guardian or representative of the legal guardian  of  the  victim  where
      such  guardian  or  representative  has  personal  knowledge  of  and  a
      relationship with the victim, unless the court finds that  it  would  be
      inappropriate  for  such  person  to  make  a statement on behalf of the
      victim.
        (b) If the defendant is being sentenced for a  felony  the  court,  if
      requested  at  least ten days prior to the sentencing date, shall accord
      the victim the right to make a  statement  with  regard  to  any  matter
      relevant  to  the  question  of  sentence.  The  court  shall notify the
      defendant no less than seven days prior to sentencing  of  the  victim's
      intent  to  make  a  statement  at sentencing. If the defendant does not
      receive timely notice pursuant to this subdivision,  the  defendant  may
      request a reasonable adjournment.
        (c)  Any statement by the victim must precede any statement by counsel
      to the defendant or the defendant made pursuant to  subdivision  one  of
      this  section. The defendant shall have the right to rebut any statement
      made by the victim.
        (d) Where the people and the defendant have agreed  to  a  disposition
      which includes a sentence acceptable to the court, and the court intends
      to  impose such sentence, any rebuttal by the defendant shall be limited
      to an oral presentation made at the time of sentencing.
        (e) Where (1) the defendant has been found guilty after trial or there
      is no agreement between the people and the defendant as  to  a  proposed
      sentence or the court, after the statement by the victim, chooses not to
      impose the proposed sentence agreed to by the parties; (2) the statement
      by  the  victim includes allegations about the crime that were not fully
      explored  during  the  proceedings  or  that  materially  vary  from  or
      contradict  the evidence at trial; and (3) the court determines that the
      allegations are relevant to the issue  of  sentencing,  then  the  court
      shall afford the defendant the following rights:
        (A)  a reasonable adjournment of the sentencing to allow the defendant
      to present information to rebut the allegations by the victim; and
        (B) allow the defendant to present written questions to the court that
      the defendant desires the court to put to the victim. The court may,  in
      its  discretion,  decline  to  put  any  or  all of the questions to the
      victim. Where the court declines to put any or all of the  questions  to
      the victim it shall state its reasons therefor on the record.
        (f)  If  the victim does not appear to make a statement at the time of
      sentencing, the right to make a statement is waived. The failure of  the
      victim  to  make  a  statement  shall  not  be  cause  for  delaying the
      proceedings against the defendant nor shall it affect the validity of  a
      conviction, judgment or order.
    
        3.  The  court  may, either before or after receiving such statements,
      summarize the factors it considers relevant for the purpose of  sentence
      and  afford  an  opportunity  to  the defendant or his or her counsel to
      comment thereon.
        4.  Regardless of whether the victim requests to make a statement with
      regard to the defendant's sentence, where the defendant is committed  to
      the  custody  of the department of correctional services upon a sentence
      of imprisonment for conviction of a violent felony offense as defined in
      section 70.02 of the penal law  or  a  felony  defined  in  article  one
      hundred  twenty-five  of  such  law,  or  a  sex  offense  as defined in
      subdivision (p) of section 10.03 of the mental hygiene law, within sixty
      days of the imposition of sentence  the  prosecutor  shall  provide  the
      victim  with a form, prepared and distributed by the commissioner of the
      department of correctional services, on which the victim may indicate  a
      demand  to  be  informed  of  the escape, absconding, discharge, parole,
      conditional release, release to post-release  supervision,  transfer  to
      the  custody  of  the office of mental health pursuant to article ten of
      the mental hygiene law, or release from confinement under article ten of
      the mental hygiene law of  the  person  so  imprisoned.  If  the  victim
      submits  a completed form to the prosecutor, it shall be the duty of the
      prosecutor to mail promptly such form to the department of  correctional
      services.
        5. Following the receipt of such form from the prosecutor, it shall be
      the duty of the department of correctional services or, where the person
      is  committed to the custody of the office of mental health, at the time
      such person is discharged, paroled, conditionally released, released  to
      post-release supervision, or released from confinement under article ten
      of  the  mental  hygiene law, to notify the victim of such occurrence by
      certified mail directed to the address provided by the  victim.  In  the
      event  such  person  escapes  or  absconds  from  a  facility  under the
      jurisdiction of the department of correctional services, it shall be the
      duty of such  department  to  notify  immediately  the  victim  of  such
      occurrence  at  the most current address or telephone number provided by
      the victim in the most reasonable and expedient possible manner. In  the
      event  such  escapee  or absconder is subsequently taken into custody by
      the department of correctional services, it shall be the  duty  of  such
      department  to  notify  the  victim of such occurrence by certified mail
      directed to the address provided by the victim within forty-eight  hours
      of  regaining  such  custody.  In  the  case  of a person who escapes or
      absconds from confinement under article ten of the mental  hygiene  law,
      the  office  of  mental  health  shall  notify  the victim or victims in
      accordance with the procedures set forth in subdivision (g)  of  section
      10.10  of  the  mental  hygiene  law. In no case shall the state be held
      liable for failure to provide any notice required by this subdivision.
        6. Regardless of whether the victim requests to make a statement  with
      regard to the defendant's sentence, where the defendant is sentenced for
      a violent felony offense as defined in section 70.02 of the penal law or
      a  felony  defined in article one hundred twenty-five of such law or any
      of the following provisions of such law sections 130.25, 130.30, 130.40,
      130.45, 255.25, 255.26, 255.27, article two hundred sixty-three, 135.10,
      135.25, 230.05, 230.06, subdivision two of section 230.30 or 230.32, the
      prosecutor shall, within sixty  days  of  the  imposition  of  sentence,
      provide the victim with a form on which the victim may indicate a demand
      to  be  informed  of  any petition to change the name of such defendant.
      Such forms shall be maintained by such prosecutor.  Upon  receipt  of  a
      notice  of a petition to change the name of any such defendant, pursuant
      to subdivision two of section sixty-two of the  civil  rights  law,  the
      prosecutor  shall promptly notify the victim at the most current address
    
      or telephone number provided by such victim in the most  reasonable  and
      expedient  possible  manner  of the time and place such petition will be
      presented to the court.