People v. Perez

OPINION OF THE COURT

Chief Judge Wachtler.

The defendant was convicted of felony murder and manslaughter after a jury trial. The Appellate Division affirmed his conviction with one Justice dissenting. Leave to appeal to this court was granted by a Justice of the Appellate Division.

The primary issue is whether it was proper for the prosecutor to withhold from defense counsel statements made by a prosecution witness to members of the defendant’s family. These statements were made in apparent furtherance of a bribe offer or request relating to the homicide charge on which the defendant was then…