People v. Baker

• Decision Date: 25 November 2020
• Docket Number: 109581
• Citation: 132 N.Y.S.3d 894 (Mem),188 A.D.3d 1444
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Lawrence K. BAKER Jr., Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

188 A.D.3d 1444

132 N.Y.S.3d 894 (Mem)

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,

v.Lawrence K. BAKER Jr., Appellant.

109581

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.

Decided and Entered: November 25, 2020

Tracy A. Donovan Laughlin, Oneonta, for appellant.

Weeden A. Wetmore, District Attorney, Elmira (John R. Thweatt of counsel), for respondent.

Before: Garry, P.J., Lynch, Clark, Devine and Reynolds Fitzgerald, JJ.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Garry, P.J. Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Chemung County (Rich Jr., J.), rendered March 3, 2017, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (two counts).

In February 2016, defendant and Najee Holmes became involved in an altercation at a party held in a garage in the City of Elmira, Chemung County. During this altercation, Holmes allegedly stabbed defendant, and defendant shot Holmes with a .22 caliber firearm. Holmes sustained two gunshot wounds, one of which passed through his lung and resulted in his death. Defendant was charged by indictment with murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (see Penal Law § 265.03[1][b] ; [3] ). Following a jury trial at which defendant argued that he acted in self-defense, he was acquitted of the murder charge and convicted of the remaining two charges. County Court sentenced defendant as a second felony offender to concurrent prison terms of 10 years, to be followed by five years of postrelease supervision. Defendant appeals.

Defendant first argues that the indictment is defective under CPL 200.50(8), as it was not signed by the foreperson or the acting foreperson of the grand jury. Defendant moved before trial to dismiss the indictment on other grounds, but did not raise the ground now asserted. Thus, "this issue is unpreserved and is reviewable as of right only if the missing signature renders the indictment jurisdictionally defective" ( People v. Burch, 97 A.D.3d 987, 988, 948 N.Y.S.2d 742 [2012] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted], lv denied 19 N.Y.3d 1101, 955 N.Y.S.2d 556, 979 N.E.2d 817 [2012] ; see People v. Pigford, 148 A.D.3d 1299, 1302, 48 N.Y.S.3d 837 [2017], lv denied 29 N.Y.3d 1085, 64 N.Y.S.3d 175, 86 N.E.3d 262 [2017] ). Here, the indictment was signed by the District Attorney, and its backer included the signature of the grand jury foreperson and the typed name of the District Attorney. This procedure "satisfies the statutory requirements" ( People v. Quintana, 159 A.D.3d 1122, 1123, 71 N.Y.S.3d 752 [2018], lv denied 31 N.Y.3d 1086, 79 N.Y.S.3d 107, 103 N.E.3d 1254 [2018] ; see CPL 200.50[8], [9] ; see also People v. Striplin, 48 A.D.3d 878, 879, 851 N.Y.S.2d 685 [2008], lv denied 10 N.Y.3d 871, 860 N.Y.S.2d 497, 890 N.E.2d 260 [2008] ). Thus, there is no jurisdictional defect.¹

Defendant next argues that County Court should have instructed the jury on the justification defense as to count 2 of the indictment, which charged defendant with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree pursuant to Penal Law § 265.03(1)(b) ; he asserts that the defense should be available to apply to that crime's intent element (but see People v. Pons, 68 N.Y.2d 264, 267, 508 N.Y.S.2d 403, 501 N.E.2d 11 [1986] ). However, defendant did not object on this ground at trial. On the contrary, during the charge conference, he asked the court to give a pattern instruction that specifically addresses justification in this context (see CJI2d[NY] Penal Law art 265, Intent to Use Unlawfully and Justification). The court agreed to do so, and defendant made no further related objections. This issue is thus unpreserved (see People v. Stokes, 159 A.D.3d 1041, 1042–1043, 71 N.Y.S.3d 746 [2018] ; People v. Soriano, 121 A.D.3d 1419, 1423, 995 N.Y.S.2d 387 [2014] ; People v. Silas, 308 A.D.2d 465, 466, 764 N.Y.S.2d 193 [2003], lv denied 100 N.Y.2d 645, 769 N.Y.S.2d 211, ...