People v. Holmes

• Decision Date: 22 March 2013
• Citation: 2013 N.Y. Slip Op. 01951,960 N.Y.S.2d 831,104 A.D.3d 1288
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Anthony J. HOLMES, Defendant–Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

104 A.D.3d 1288

960 N.Y.S.2d 831

2013 N.Y. Slip Op. 01951

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,

v.Anthony J. HOLMES, Defendant–Appellant.

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

March 22, 2013.

The Abbatoy Law Firm, PLLC, Rochester (David M. Abbatoy, Jr., of Counsel), for Defendant–Appellant.

Cindy F. Intschert, District Attorney, Watertown, for Respondent.

PRESENT: SMITH, J.P., FAHEY, SCONIERS, VALENTINO, AND WHALEN, JJ.

MEMORANDUM:

On appeal from a judgment convicting him following a jury trial of two counts each of assault in the third degree (Penal Law § 120.00[1] ) and intimidating a victim or witness in the third degree (§ 215.15[1] ), and one count of endangering the welfare of a child (§ 260.10 [1] ),defendant challenges the legal sufficiency and weight of the evidence with respect to the conviction of intimidating a victim or witness in the third degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Defendant failed to preserve for our review his contention that the evidence supporting the conviction of endangering the welfare of a child is legally insufficient on the ground that the child at issue was not in the room where the assault occurred ( see People v. Carncross, 14 N.Y.3d 319, 324–325, 901 N.Y.S.2d 112, 927 N.E.2d 532;People v. Gray, 86 N.Y.2d 10, 19, 629 N.Y.S.2d 173, 652 N.E.2d 919;People v. Dizak, 93 A.D.3d 1182, 1185, 940 N.Y.S.2d 408,lv. denied19 N.Y.3d 972, 950 N.Y.S.2d 355, 973 N.E.2d 765,reconsideration denied20 N.Y.3d 932, 957 N.Y.S.2d 691, 981 N.E.2d 288). Defendant's contention that the evidence is legally insufficient to support that conviction because the People failed to establish that the child at issue was not mentally or emotionally harmed, however, is properly before us ( see People v. Payne, 3 N.Y.3d 266, 273, 786 N.Y.S.2d 116, 819 N.E.2d 634,rearg. denied3 N.Y.3d 767, 788 N.Y.S.2d 670, 821 N.E.2d 975). In any event, both of defendant's contentions with respect to the legal sufficiency of the evidence supporting that conviction lack merit, as does defendant's contention concerning the legal sufficiency of the evidence with respect to the conviction of intimidating a victim or witness ( see generally People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672). In addition, viewing the evidence in light of the elements of those crimes as charged to the jury ( see People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 349, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1), we conclude that the verdict is not against the weight of the evidence ( see generally Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d at 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672). “[R]esolution of issues of credibility, as well as the weight to be accorded to the evidence presented, are primarily questions to be determined by the jury” ( People v. Witherspoon, 66 A.D.3d 1456, 1457, 885 N.Y.S.2d 829,lv. denied13 N.Y.3d 942, 895 N.Y.S.2d 333, 922 N.E.2d 922 [internal quotation marks omitted] ).

Contrary to defendant's further contention, County Court's Molineux ruling did not constitute an abuse of discretion ( see People v. Dorm, 12 N.Y.3d 16, 19, 874 N.Y.S.2d 866, 903 N.E.2d 263;People v. Duperroy, 88 A.D.3d 606, 607, 931 N.Y.S.2d 70,lv. denied18 N.Y.3d 957, 944 N.Y.S.2d 485, 967 N.E.2d 710;People v. Galloway, 61 A.D.3d 520, 520–521, 876 N.Y.S.2d 406,lv. denied12 N.Y.3d 915, 884 N.Y.S.2d 696, 912 N.E.2d 1077). We note in any event that the court's limiting instruction in its jury charge “served to alleviate any potential prejudice resulting from the admission of the evidence” ( People v. Alke, 90 A.D.3d 943, 944, 935 N.Y.S.2d 96,lv. denied19 N.Y.3d 994, 951 N.Y.S.2d 470, 975 N.E.2d 916;see People v. Freece, 46 A.D.3d 1428, 1429, 848 N.Y.S.2d 468,lv. denied10 N.Y.3d 811, 857 N.Y.S.2d 44, 886 N.E.2d 809).

Moreover, there is no merit to defendant's contention that he was prejudiced by the timing of the People's notice of intention to offer Molineux evidence, the timing of the Molineux hearing, which was conducted during jury selection, and the timing of the court's Molineux ruling, which was made upon the completion of jury selection. According to defendant, the timing of the court's Molineux ruling upon the completion of jury selection denied him the opportunity to explore the potential impact of that evidence on voir dire. It is well settled that “a defendant is not entitled as a matter of law to pretrial notice of the People's intention to offer evidence pursuant to People v. Molineux, 168 N.Y. 264, 61 N.E. 286 (1901) or to a pretrial hearing on the admissibility of such evidence” ( People v. Small, 12 N.Y.3d 732, 733, 876 N.Y.S.2d 675, 904 N.E.2d 811;see People v. Ventimiglia, 52 N.Y.2d 350, 362, 438 N.Y.S.2d 261, 420 N.E.2d 59). Defendant's contention that defense counsel was forced to prepare for trial as if there would be no Molineux evidence lacks merit inasmuch as the record reflects that the People advised defense counsel at the Sandoval hearing of the possibility that Molineux issues would be raised shortly before trial, and there is no record support for defendant's further contention that the timing of the Molineux request was such that defendant could not discuss those issues with defense counsel. In any event, with respect to the timing of the court's Molineux ruling, we note that the court's limiting instruction concerning the jury's consideration of such evidence obviated any need for defense counsel during voir dire to explore the impact of that evidence.

Also without merit is defendant's contention that the court failed to engage in the second part of the Ventimiglia analysis, i.e., the court never analyzed whether the probative value of evidence of defendant's prior bad acts was outweighed by its potential for prejudice ( see People v. Cass, 18 N.Y.3d 553, 560, 942 N.Y.S.2d 416, 965 N.E.2d 918;Ventimiglia, 52 N.Y.2d at 362, 438 N.Y.S.2d 261, 420 N.E.2d 59). Although the court arguably could have better “recited...