People v. Clegg

Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Nassau County, rendered January 3, 1962, after a jury trial, convicting him of'attempted arson in the first degree, and sentencing him as a second felony offender. Judgment reversed on the law and the facts and a new trial ordered. The principal evidence identifying defendant as the alleged arsonist and indicating that the fire was incendiary in origin was given by a police officer and was received without objection. He testified that one Rainey told him that he saw defendant setting the fire. The receipt of such hearsay testimony was…