People v. Early

Decision Date14 November 1977
Citation399 N.Y.S.2d 145,59 A.D.2d 912
PartiesThe PEOPLE, etc., Respondent, v. Vincent EARLY, Appellant.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

William E. Hellerstein, New York City (Hillard Wiese, New York City, of counsel), for appellant.

Eugene Gold, Dist. Atty., Brooklyn (Joel M. Goldberg, Brooklyn, of counsel), for respondent.

Before HOPKINS, J. P., and LATHAM, MARGETT and RABIN, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County, rendered February 27, 1974, convicting him of robbery in the first degree, burglary in the second degree, grand larceny in the third degree (two counts) and resisting arrest, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Judgment modified, on the law and the facts, by reducing the conviction of robbery in the first degree to a conviction of robbery in the third degree, and by vacating the sentence imposed thereon. As so modified, judgment affirmed and case remitted to Criminal Term for resentence on the conviction of robbery in the third degree.

Defendant was charged with robbery in the first degree, to wit, forcibly stealing property while using or threatening "the immediate use of a dangerous instrument" (see Penal Law, § 160.15, subd. 3). A dangerous instrument is defined as "any instrument * * * which * * * is readily capable of causing death or other serious physical injury" (Penal Law, § 10.00, subd. 13). The evidence adduced at the trial was insufficient to establish that the weapon allegedly possessed by defendant was capable of causing death or other serious physical injury, and, in fact, the evidence failed to establish that defendant actually possessed any weapon (see People v. Green,56 A.D.2d 610, 391 N.Y.S.2d 655; People v. Briggs, 52 A.D.2d 1053, 384 N.Y.S.2d 894; People v. Iglesias, 40 A.D.2d 778, 337 N.Y.S.2d 740).

We have considered the other issues raised by defendant and find them to be without merit.

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8 cases
  • People v. Williams
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • November 8, 2017
    ...N.E.2d 399 ; People v. Siler, 76 A.D.2d 938, 429 N.Y.S.2d 461 ; People v. Castaldo, 72 A.D.2d 568, 420 N.Y.S.2d 742 ; People v. Early, 59 A.D.2d 912, 399 N.Y.S.2d 145 ). Therefore, the evidence was not legally sufficient to establish that the duct tape was a "dangerous instrument" to suppor......
  • People v. Wilson
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • December 31, 1998
    ...v. Kilpatrick, supra, 143 A.D.2d, at 1, 531 N.Y.S.2d 262; People v. Amato, supra, 99 A.D.2d, at 496, 470 N.Y.S.2d 441; People v. Early, 59 A.D.2d 912, 399 N.Y.S.2d 145). IV. The evidence also is legally insufficient to support the conviction of attempted first degree robbery under Penal Law......
  • People v. Johnson
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • August 7, 1978
    ...conviction for robbery in the first degree based upon use or threatened use of a dangerous instrument cannot stand (cf. People v. Early, 59 A.D.2d 912, 399 N.Y.S.2d 145; People v. Green, 56 A.D.2d 610, 391 N.Y.S.2d 655; People v. Briggs, 52 A.D.2d 1053). Accordingly, the new trial must be r......
  • People v. Lopez
    • United States
    • New York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
    • February 23, 1989
    ...v. Johnson, 64 A.D.2d 907, 408 N.Y.S.2d 519, affd. on other grounds 48 N.Y.2d 674, 421 N.Y.S.2d 881, 397 N.E.2d 392; People v. Early, 59 A.D.2d 912, 399 N.Y.S.2d 145; People v. Briggs, 52 A.D.2d 1053, 384 N.Y.S.2d 894; cf., People v. Colavito, 126 A.D.2d 554, 510 N.Y.S.2d 678, affd. on othe......
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