People v. Rivers

OPINION OF THE COURT

Wachtler, J.

The primary question on this appeal concerns the admissibility of a statement made by the defendant in the *478absence of counsel after his arrest on a warrant and after he had requested and obtained a brief response from the arresting officer as to why he was being charged with the same offense as his companions. The trial court and the Appellate Division held the defendant’s statement admissible on the ground that it was spontaneous or volunteered. The defendant appeals claiming that the statement was the “product of subtle maneuvering on the part of the police”.

I…