People v. Pitts

OPINION OF THE COURT

Memorandum.

The order of the Appellate Division, insofar as appealed from, should be reversed and a new trial ordered.

Pitts and two codefendants, Waldo and Jones, were jointly tried for crimes committed during a robbery in which two persons were fatally shot. All three defendants gave written and videotaped confessions to the police. The confessions were identical as to the nature of the crimes committed but differed as to the role each defendant played. The confessions of Waldo and Jones identified defendant as the trigger man. On the other hand, defendant portrayed…