People v. Benjamin

OPINION OF THE COURT

Judgment of conviction, rendered February 1, 2008, reversed, on the law, the plea vacated and the matter remanded for further proceedings.

The statements made by defense counsel on defendant’s behalf and in his presence during the plea proceedings, negating the intent element of the underlying governmental obstruction charge and reflecting counsel’s view that defendant was not “doing anything wrong” prior to his arrest, cast sufficient doubt on defendant’s guilt as to trigger the court’s obligation to make further inquiry of the defendant to ensure that defendant understood…