People v. Holt

• Decision Date: 23 March 2012
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Joseph HOLT, Defendant–Appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

2012 N.Y. Slip Op. 02203
93 A.D.3d 1304
940 N.Y.S.2d 500

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,
v.
Joseph HOLT, Defendant–Appellant.

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

March 23, 2012.

Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Onondaga County (John J. Brunetti, A.J.), rendered May 7, 2010. The judgment convicted defendant, upon a jury verdict, of assault in the second degree and assault in the third degree.Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society, Syracuse, Mitchell Goris Stokes & Sullivan, LLC, Cazenovia (Stewart F. Hancock, Jr., of Counsel), for defendant-appellant.

William J. Fitzpatrick, District Attorney, Syracuse (Victoria M. White of Counsel), for respondent.

MEMORANDUM:

[93 A.D.3d 1304] Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him upon a jury verdict of assault in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.05[3] ) and assault in the third degree (§ 120.00[1] ). Defendant failed to

[940 N.Y.S.2d 501]

preserve for our review his challenge to the legal sufficiency of the evidence supporting the conviction of assault in the second degree inasmuch as he failed to renew his motion for a trial order of dismissal after presenting evidence ( see People v. Hines, 97 N.Y.2d 56, 61, 736 N.Y.S.2d 643, 762 N.E.2d 329, rearg. denied 97 N.Y.2d 678, 738 N.Y.S.2d 292, 764 N.E.2d 396). In any event, we reject defendant's contention that the evidence is legally insufficient to establish the element of intent with respect to that crime ( see generally People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672). It is well established that “[i]ntent may be inferred from conduct as well as the surrounding[93 A.D.3d 1305] circumstances” ( People v. Steinberg, 79 N.Y.2d 673, 682, 584 N.Y.S.2d 770, 595 N.E.2d 845; see People v. Smith, 79 N.Y.2d 309, 315, 582 N.Y.S.2d 946, 591 N.E.2d 1132). Viewing the evidence in light of the elements of the crime of assault in the second degree 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 with respect to that crime 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).

Defendant further contends that he was denied effective assistance of counsel based solely on defense counsel's failure to renew the motion for a trial order of dismissal with respect to the count of assault in the second degree. We reject that contention. Here, inasmuch as...