People v. Alcide

Decision Date27 July 1998
Citation676 N.Y.S.2d 216,252 A.D.2d 591
PartiesThe PEOPLE, etc., Respondent, v. Ivan ALCIDE, Appellant.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Mitchell B. Maier, Monroe, N.Y., for appellant.

Francis D. Phillips II, District Attorney, Goshen, N.Y. (David R. Huey of counsel), for respondent.

Before RITTER, J.P., SANTUCCI, JOY and FLORIO, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Orange County (Berry, J.), rendered February 18, 1997, convicting him of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence. The appeal brings up for review the denial, after a hearing, of that branch of the defendant's omnibus motion which was to suppress physical evidence.

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant was convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree after cocaine was seized from his person during a traffic stop. On appeal, he argues that the court erred in denying suppression of the physical evidence.

The defendant's argument that the traffic stop was pretextual was not raised before the hearing court and is, therefore, not properly before this court on appeal (see, People v. Lebrun, 234 A.D.2d 392, 651 N.Y.S.2d 544). In any event, the stop was not pretextual, but was, rather, permissible based upon the officers' observation of a violation of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (a broken license plate light) (see, People v. Jackson, 241 A.D.2d 557, 661 N.Y.S.2d 247; People v. McCoy, 239 A.D.2d 437, 657 N.Y.S.2d 437; Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 116 S.Ct. 1769, 135 L.Ed.2d 89).

Further, the defendant's argument that he was ordered out of his vehicle, rather than that he voluntarily exited the vehicle in order to scrutinize his license plate light, raised an issue of credibility that was resolved against him by the hearing court. We find no basis to disturb the hearing court's determination (see, People v. Prochilo, 41 N.Y.2d 759, 395 N.Y.S.2d 635, 363 N.E.2d 1380). In any event, assuming, arguendo, that the defendant was ordered out of the vehicle by the officers, on the facts presented, such an order would have been permissible. Accordingly, the hearing court properly denied that branch of the defendant's omnibus motion which was to suppress physical evidence (see, People v. Robinson, 74 N.Y.2d 773, 545 N.Y.S.2d 90, 543 N.E.2d 733, cert. denied 493 U.S. 966, 110 S.Ct. 411, 107...

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4 cases
  • People v. Henry
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • February 1, 1999
    ...v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 116 S.Ct. 1769, 135 L.Ed.2d 89; People v. Sira, --- A.D.2d ----, 680 N.Y.S.2d 101; People v. Alcide, 252 A.D.2d 592, 676 N.Y.S.2d 216; People v. Dougherty, 251 A.D.2d 344, 673 N.Y.S.2d 742, People v. Gelley, 242 A.D.2d 277, 660 N.Y.S.2d 588; People v. Reynold......
  • People v. Phillips
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • July 2, 2001
    ...as a pretext to search him was not raised before the hearing court and is, therefore, not preserved for appellate review (see, People v Alcide, 252 A.D.2d 591). In any event, the officer lawfully stopped the vehicle driven by the defendant's companion based upon his observation of the traff......
  • People v. McKane
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • December 6, 1999
    ...violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375(12-a)(b)(2) (see, People v. Henry, 258 A.D.2d 473, 685 N.Y.S.2d 100; People v. Alcide, 252 A.D.2d 591, 676 N.Y.S.2d 216; People v. Dougherty, 251 A.D.2d 344, 345, 673 N.Y.S.2d 742; People v. Edwards, 222 A.D.2d 603, 635 N.Y.S.2d 274; People v. McGr......
  • People v. Ortiz
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • October 25, 1999
    ...v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 116 S.Ct. 1769, 135 L.Ed.2d 89; People v. Henry, 258 A.D.2d 473, 685 N.Y.S.2d 100; People v. Alcide, 252 A.D.2d 591, 676 N.Y.S.2d 216; People v. McCoy, 239 A.D.2d 437, 439, 657 N.Y.S.2d 437). Here, the stop of the vehicle was objectively valid based on the of......

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