New York Court of Appeals
The People of the State of New York v. Gary Maher, Respondent the People of the State of New York v. Vernon Ricks…
December 19, 199689 N.Y.2d 318
Summary
The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division's reversal of convictions in Maher, Ricks, and Mack, holding that defendants have a right to be present at sidebar conferences concerning juror bias or pretrial publicity, which are material stages of trial, and that exclusion without a record showing the juror was excused for cause or peremptory challenge warrants reversal.