From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Brow

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Nov 13, 1998
255 A.D.2d 904 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

November 13, 1998

Appeal from Judgment of Jefferson County Court, Clary, J. — Sodomy, 1st Degree.

Present — Denman, P. J., Hayes, Wisner, Callahan and Boehm, JJ.


Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: County Court properly determined after a hearing that defendant, although mildly mentally retarded, was not an incapacitated person ( see, CPL 730.10; People v. Schwartz, 204 A.D.2d 973). The People established through the testimony of a psychiatrist and psychologist that defendant had the capacity to understand the charges against him and to assist in his defense. The fact that the defense-retained psychologist disagreed with the conclusion of the People's experts did not compel a determination of incompetence ( see, People v. Ferguson, 248 A.D.2d 725). "Where the hearing court is presented with conflicting evidence of competency, great deference [is] accorded its findings" ( People v. Gordon, 125 A.D.2d 587, 588; see, People v. Breeden, 115 A.D.2d 484).

Because defendant did not move to withdraw his plea under CPL 220.60 (3) or to vacate the judgment of conviction under CPL 440.10, his contention that his plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered because the plea allocution was insufficient is not preserved for our review ( see, People v. Toxey, 86 N.Y.2d 725, 726, rearg denied 86 N.Y.2d 839; People v. Lopez, 71 N.Y.2d 662, 665-666). Further, this is not one of those rare cases in which "defendant's recitation of the facts underlying the crime pleaded to clearly casts significant doubt upon the defendant's guilt or otherwise calls into question the voluntariness of the plea" ( People v. Lopez, supra, at 666). The record establishes that, during the plea colloquy, defendant initially denied that he had committed the underlying act. After the court conducted further inquiry, defendant admitted that he had committed the act. Thus, the court met its duty of conducting further inquiry to satisfy itself of defendant's knowing and voluntary admission of guilt ( see, People v. Lopez, supra, at 666; People v. Hillendale, 244 A.D.2d 911; People v. Waterman, 229 A.D.2d 1013, 1014). Moreover, it is clear that defendant, who was exposed to the risk of multiple felony, convictions with the potential for consecutive sentences, elected to limit his risk and accept a favorable' plea bargain. In any event, the record establishes that defendant entered his guilty plea knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently ( see, People v. Fiumefreddo, 82 N.Y.2d 536, 543).

"Defendant's contention that his rights under CPL 30.30 were violated was forfeited when he entered his plea of guilty" ( People v. Suarez, 55 N.Y.2d 940, 942; see, People v. O'Brien, 56 N.Y.2d 1009, 1010).


Summaries of

People v. Brow

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Nov 13, 1998
255 A.D.2d 904 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Brow

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. RICHARD R. BROW, SR.…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department

Date published: Nov 13, 1998

Citations

255 A.D.2d 904 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
682 N.Y.S.2d 320

Citing Cases

People v. Mitchell

It is hereby ordered that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: Defendant…

People v. Wright

We reject defendant's contention that County Court erred in determining after a hearing that defendant was…