People v. Murray

Defendant was indicted for the crimes of common-law murder, felony murder, two counts of attempted robbery, attempted grand larceny and possession of a weapon as a felony. He had admitted and confessed to a police officer that during the course of attempting to rob a man sleeping in an automobile, a struggle ensued, and he stabbed and killed a man.

The critical issue presented is whether, in a felony murder prosecution based upon a full confession of guilt, the confession corroboration statute (CPL 60.50) requires the People to prove the commission of the predicate felony by evidence…