People v. Catalanotte

It was error to prohibit defendant from offering rebuttal evidence to explain some of the bank accounts about which he testified and made admissions on cross-examination. The collateral issue rule would bar the adversary from offering contradictory proof, but should hardly bar the party who makes what appears to be admissions on cross-examination from explaining them. However, in view of the all but conclusive proof of defendant’s guilt, the error was harmless, and there should be an affirmance under the statutory harmless error rule (CPL 470.05, subd. 1).

Enough of the facts are described in…