People v Gaston

Holding The court reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial because the trial court improperly dismissed the entire sworn jury panel without first inquiring into the remaining jurors’ ability to be fair and impartial. This action violated the defendant’s constitutional right to a jury selected according to law, and the error was not subject to harmless error analysis.

The court’s words

the court did not first conduct an inquiry of the remaining prospective jurors as to their ability to be fair and impartial

2026 NY Slip Op 05971, at the official text

the court deprived defendant of a jury chosen at random from a fair cross-section of the community

2026 NY Slip Op 05971, at the official text

the Supreme Court's error is not subject to harmless error analysis

2026 NY Slip Op 05971, at the official text