The People of the State of New York v. Robert Cefaro, Edward Josephs and Bennie Russo

Summary

The Court held that a trial judge need not charge the jury on the voluntariness of a confession unless the defense raises the issue by objection and evidence creates a factual dispute, and that a pre‑trial Huntley hearing alone does not trigger such a charge. It also reversed Cefaro’s conviction, finding that his motion for severance should have been granted and that the admission of co‑defendant confessions was not harmless error under Chapman.