New York Court of Appeals
The People of the State of New York v. Guillermo Guzman, Appellant the People of the State of New York v. Robert Wells
December 1, 198360 N.Y.2d 403
Summary
The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division's denial of the defendants' motions to dismiss, holding that the under‑representation of Hispanics in the Kings County grand jury pool did not constitute a due‑process violation for Wells nor an equal‑protection violation for Guzman because no systematic exclusion or intentional discrimination was proven. The court explained the burden‑shifting framework and found the state's evidence sufficient to rebut the prima facie claims.