People v. Hamilton

OPINION OF THE COURT

Memorandum.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

We agree with the Appellate Division that defendant’s convictions required reversal because his Sixth Amendment right "to be confronted with the witnesses against him” was violated by the People’s introduction, as part of its case-in-chief at trial, of the Grand Jury testimony of a witness, Patricia Lee.

In her Grand Jury testimony, Lee stated that defendant had made incriminating admissions to her. Prior to trial, Lee informed the trial court that if called to testify at trial, she would invoke her Fifth…