People v. Robinson

• Decision Date: 28 October 2020
• Docket Number: 2017–02590,Ind. No. 7/16
• Citation: 131 N.Y.S.3d 637 (Mem),187 A.D.3d 1216
• Parties: The PEOPLE, etc., respondent, v. John F. ROBINSON, appellant.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

187 A.D.3d 1216

131 N.Y.S.3d 637 (Mem)

The PEOPLE, etc., respondent,

v.John F. ROBINSON, appellant.

2017–02590

Ind. No. 7/16

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

Submitted - September 29, 2020

October 28, 2020

The Law Office of Audrey Thomas PLLC, Rosedale, NY, for appellant.

Madeline Singas, District Attorney, Mineola, NY (Jared A. Chester and Libbi L. Vilher of counsel; Dallas Park on the brief), for respondent.

ALAN D. SCHEINKMAN, P.J., MARK C. DILLON, LEONARD B. AUSTIN, ROBERT J. MILLER, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Jerald S. Carter, J.), rendered February 23, 2017, convicting him of burglary in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and sentencing him, as a persistent violent felony offender, to an indeterminate term of imprisonment of 17 years to life.

ORDERED that the judgment is modified, on the law, by vacating the sentence imposed; as so modified, the judgment is affirmed, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for resentencing in accordance herewith.

Contrary to the defendant's contention, the surveillance video and stills as well as a photo taken from Facebook were properly authenticated. "[A]uthenticity is established by proof that the offered evidence is genuine and that there has been no tampering with it," and "[t]he foundation necessary to establish these elements may differ according to the nature of the evidence sought to be admitted" ( People v. McGee, 49 N.Y.2d 48, 59, 424 N.Y.S.2d 157, 399 N.E.2d 1177 ; see People v. Price, 29 N.Y.3d 472, 476, 58 N.Y.S.3d 259, 80 N.E.3d 1005 ). Here, the surveillance video and still images therefrom were properly authenticated by a detective, who testified that he copied the video from the surveillance system onto two discs and that he verified that the video cameras and recording equipment were in working order. He confirmed that the date and time stamp were accurate, except for a one-hour difference due to daylight savings time. He further testified as to chain of custody and that he obtained the stills from the surveillance footage. The photo obtained from Facebook was authenticated by a Facebook certification, indicating that the account from which the photo came belonged to the defendant (see People v. Franzese, 154 A.D.3d 706, 61 N.Y.S.3d 661 ).

The defendant's contention that the Supreme Court should have granted a mistrial based on prosecutorial misconduct in the opening and closing statements is unpreserved for appellate review, as the defendant did not move for a mistrial (see CPL 470.05[2] ; People v. Burkette, 153 A.D.3d 635, 61 N.Y.S.3d 53 ; People v. Oliver, 87 A.D.3d 1035, 929 N.Y.S.2d 182 ). In any event, the prosecutor's opening statement was not objected to and simply outlined the evidence she planned to introduce and what she expected the evidence to show (see People v. Kurtz, 51 N.Y.2d 380, 434 N.Y.S.2d 200, 414 N.E.2d 699 ; People v. Celdo, 291 A.D.2d 357, 739 N.Y.S.2d 25 ; People v. Etoria, 266 A.D.2d 559, 699 N.Y.S.2d 121 ; CPL 260.30[3] ). Likewise, the prosecutor's summation elicited only one nonspecific objection, and consisted of fair comment on the evidence (see People v. Ashwal, 39 N.Y.2d 105, 383 N.Y.S.2d 204, 347 N.E.2d 564 ; People v. Carmichael, 170 A.D.3d 742, 95 N.Y.S.3d 271 ; People v. Herb, 110 A.D.3d 829, 972 N.Y.S.2d 668 ). There is no merit to the defendant's claim of a Bruton error (see Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 ), as no statement from any codefendant was admitted at trial.

The defendant's legal sufficiency challenge is only partially preserved for appellate review (see CPL 470.05[2] ). In any event, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 621, 467 N.Y.S.2d 349, 454 N.E.2d 932 ), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, in fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15[5] ; People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 348, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 ), we nevertheless accord great deference to the jury's opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor (see People v. Mateo, 2 N.Y.3d 383, 779 N.Y.S.2d 399, 811 N.E.2d 1053, cert denied 542 U.S. 946, 124 S.Ct. 2929, 159 L.Ed.2d 828 ; People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672 ). Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902 ).

Because the defendant's guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, there can be no appellate review of the defendant's claim that the evidence presented to the grand jury was legally insufficient (see People v. Placek, 173 A.D.3d 774, 99 N.Y.S.3d 683 ; People v. Gatewood, 124 A.D.3d 910, 998 N.Y.S.2d 914 ; People v. Barton, 110 A.D.3d 1089, 973 N.Y.S.2d 760 ; People v. Birot, 99 A.D.3d 933, 952 N.Y.S.2d 293 ).

The defendant's contention that the Supreme Court should have granted his request for a continuance so that he could retain another attorney is based on matter dehors the record (see People v. Frazier, 140 A.D.3d 977, 34 N.Y.S.3d 467 ; People v. Boyce, 118 A.D.3d 1016, 988 N.Y.S.2d 262 ). Likewise, the defendant's contention that he was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel is based, in part, on matter appearing on the record and, in part, on matter outside the record, and, thus, constitutes a "mixed claim of ineffective assistance" ( People v. Maxwell, 89 A.D.3d 1108, 1109, 933 N.Y.S.2d 386 ; see People v. Evans, 16 N.Y.3d 571, 575 n 2, 925 N.Y.S.2d 366, 949 N.E.2d 457 ). Since the defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel cannot be resolved without reference to matter outside the record, a CPL 440.10 proceeding is the appropriate forum for reviewing the claim in its entirety, and we decline to review the claim on this direct appeal ...