The People of the State of New York v. Raphael Betts

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals reversed the conviction for first‑degree rape and ordered a new trial because the trial court improperly held that the defendant’s decision to testify waived his Fifth Amendment privilege against self‑incrimination with respect to pending unrelated criminal charges. The Court clarified that a defendant‑witness does not automatically waive that privilege for collateral matters, limiting cross‑examination to issues relevant to the charged offense.