People v. Yapor

In People v. Yapor, 308 A.D.2d 361 [1st Dept 2003] a homicide prosecution, the First Department found that the trial court appropriately exercised its discretion when it admitted into evidence testimony regarding the arrest of the defendant's wife. Since the defendant had surrendered to the police when he mistakenly believed she had been arrested for the instant crime, the Court concluded that such testimony provided "explanatory background information to complete the narrative" (at 362). The Court also permitted the introduction of prior threats made by the defendant to the deceased to explain the relationship between them.