People v. Polite

Decision Date08 March 1999
Citation687 N.Y.S.2d 385,259 A.D.2d 566
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
PartiesTHE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent,<BR>v.<BR>GARY POLITE, Appellant.

Santucci, J. P., Joy, Friedmann and Goldstein, JJ., concur.

Ordered that the judgments are affirmed.

It is well settled that the decision to permit the withdrawal of a plea of guilty is directed to the sound discretion of the court (see, People v Frederick, 45 NY2d 520). The court properly exercised its discretion in denying the defendant's motion to withdraw his pleas without a hearing, after assigning him new counsel and giving him a full opportunity to present his contentions (see, People v McCaskell, 206 AD2d 547).

The minutes of the plea proceeding show that the defendant entered knowing and voluntary pleas, and there is nothing in the record to suggest that the pleas were improvident or baseless. The defendant's allegations of innocence were insufficient to warrant a hearing, as the record discloses that the defendant freely admitted that he shot each victim (see, People v Ellerbe, 237 AD2d 299; People v McCaskell, supra). The defendant's contention that he was coerced by his attorney is belied by his statement during the plea allocution that he had not been forced into pleading guilty. Furthermore, contrary to the defendant's contention, his attorney's alleged statements about the strength of the People's case, the weaknesses of his defenses, and the likelihood of a lengthy sentence do not constitute coercion (see, People v Jones, 232 AD2d 505; People v Spinks, 227 AD2d 310; People v Samuel, 208 AD2d 776).

The defendant's contentions raised in his supplemental pro se brief are without merit.

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4 cases
  • People v. Hobart, 00-01612
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • September 28, 2001
    ...sentence after trial does not render a plea involuntary (see, People v Dashnaw, 260 A.D.2d 658, 659, lv denied 93 N.Y.2d 968; People v Polite, 259 A.D.2d 566, lv denied 93 N.Y.2d 1025; People v Hillendale, 244 A.D.2d 911, 912; People v Gibson, 167 A.D.2d 921, lv denied 77 N.Y.2d 961). (Appe......
  • People v. Williams, 2008 NY Slip Op 31990(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 4/22/2008)
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • April 22, 2008
    ...was giving up any defenses to the charges. See People v. George Beasley, ___ A.D.3d ___, 853 N.Y.S.2d 917 (2d Dept. 2008); People v. Polite, 259 A.D.2d 566 (2d Dept.), lv. denied, 93 N.Y.2d 1025 (1999); People v. D'Orio, 210 A.D.2d 424, 425 (2d Dept. 1994), lv. denied, 85 N.Y.2d 972 (1995).......
  • People v. Phillips
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • March 8, 1999
  • People v. Weekes, 01-02483
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • December 31, 2001
    ...a knowing and voluntary plea and there is nothing in the record to suggest that the plea was improvident or baseless (see, People v Polite, 259 A.D.2d 566). The defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is either based on matters dehors the record (see, People v. Weathers, A.D.......

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