People v. Harris

• Decision Date: 14 November 2018
• Docket Number: Ind. No. 2411/11,2016–09187
• Citation: 166 A.D.3d 801,87 N.Y.S.3d 235
• Parties: The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent, v. Andrea HARRIS, Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

166 A.D.3d 801

87 N.Y.S.3d 235

The PEOPLE, etc., Respondent,

v.Andrea HARRIS, Appellant.

2016–09187

Ind. No. 2411/11

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

Argued—September 25, 2018

November 14, 2018

Paul Skip Laisure, New York, N.Y. (Yvonne Shivers of counsel), for appellant.

Eric Gonzalez, District Attorney, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Leonard Joblove and Joyce Slevin of counsel), for respondent.

RUTH C. BALKIN, J.P., SANDRA L. SGROI, ROBERT J. MILLER, FRANCESCA E. CONNOLLY, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Matthew D'Emic, J.), rendered August 10, 2016, convicting him of assault in the first degree and assault in the second degree, upon his plea of guilty, and imposing sentence.

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.

The Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in denying, without a hearing, the defendant's motion to withdraw his plea of guilty. "A motion to withdraw a plea of guilty is addressed to the sound discretion of the Supreme Court, and, as a general rule, its determination will not be disturbed absent an improvident exercise of discretion" ( People v. Dowling, 158 A.D.3d 640, 640, 67 N.Y.S.3d 859 ; see CPL 220.60[3] ). Here, the record demonstrates that the defendant's plea of guilty was knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently entered. While the presentence report indicated that the defendant had a history of mental illness and only an eighth-grade education, there is no basis in the record to support his contention that he lacked the capacity to understand the proceedings against him, or that he was unable to assist in his defense (see CPL 730.30[1] ; People v. Tissiera, 154 A.D.3d 720, 61 N.Y.S.3d 665 ; People v. Rodriguez, 152 A.D.3d 800, 60 N.Y.S.3d 191 ; People v. Morris, 147 A.D.3d 1083, 48 N.Y.S.3d 425 ; People v. Narbonne, 131 A.D.3d 626, 14 N.Y.S.3d 917 ; People v. M'Lady, 59 A.D.3d 568, 873 N.Y.S.2d 331 ; People v. Hollis, 204 A.D.2d 569, 614 N.Y.S.2d 211 ). To the contrary, the defendant's responses at the plea and sentencing proceedings were appropriate and did not indicate that he was incapacitated (see People v. Tissiera, 154 A.D.3d at 721, 61 N.Y.S.3d 665 ; People v. Morris, 147 A.D.3d at 1084, 48 N.Y.S.3d 425 ).

Furthermore, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in denying the defendant's motion to substitute counsel. "The right of an indigent criminal defendant to the services of a court-appointed lawyer does not encompass a right to appointment of successive lawyers at defendant's option" ( People v. Washington, 25 N.Y.3d 1091, 1095, 13 N.Y.S.3d 343, 34 N.E.3d 853 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see People v. Sides, 75 N.Y.2d 822, 824, 552 N.Y.S.2d 555, 551 N.E.2d 1233 ; People v. Wright, 147 A.D.3d 1088, 1089, 47 N.Y.S.3d 471 ). "Nevertheless, the right to be represented by counsel of one's own choosing is a valued one, and a defendant may be entitled to new assigned counsel upon showing good cause for a substitution, such as a conflict of interest or other irreconcilable conflict with counsel" ( People v. Sides, 75 N.Y.2d at 824, 552 N.Y.S.2d 555, 551 N.E.2d 1233 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see People v. Wright, 147 A.D.3d at 1089, 47 N.Y.S.3d 471 ). "Where a seemingly serious request is made, the trial court is obligated to conduct at least a ‘minimal inquiry’ to determine the nature of the conflict and a possible resolution" ( People v. Ward, 121 A.D.3d 1026, 1027, 994 N.Y.S.2d 675 ). Here, the court made the requisite "minimal inquiry" into the alleged lack of communication between the defendant and defense counsel (see People v. Mahoney, 110 A.D.3d 923, 972 N.Y.S.2d 921 ; People v. Reese, 23 A.D.3d 1034, 1035, 803 N.Y.S.2d 852 ), and appropriately determined that the communication issues did not warrant substitution of counsel (see People v. Brown, 154 A.D.3d 1004, 1006, 61 N.Y.S.3d 717 ; People v. Robinson, 285 A.D.2d 478, 728 N.Y.S.2d 482 ).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, he was not deprived of the effective assistance of counsel (see People v. Benevento, 91 N.Y.2d 708, 712–713, 674 N.Y.S.2d 629, 697 N.E.2d 584 ; People v. Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 147, 444 N.Y.S.2d 893, 429 N.E.2d 400 ).

As the People correctly concede, the defendant's purported waiver of his right to appeal was invalid (see People v. Bradshaw, 18 N.Y.3d 257, 264–267, 938 N.Y.S.2d 254, 961 N.E.2d 645 ). The Supreme Court's colloquy failed...