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People v. Coleman

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 6, 1993
195 A.D.2d 475 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)

Opinion

July 6, 1993

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Queens County (Pitaro, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt of the robbery counts beyond a reasonable doubt. We also find that the evidence was legally sufficient to establish the "physical injury" element of the defendant's conviction for assault in the second degree in relation to the gunshot wound to the complainant's left shoulder beyond a reasonable doubt. We find that the complainant's testimony regarding the extent and duration of the pain and the emergency medical assistance that was rendered sufficed to show that he suffered "physical injury" within the meaning of Penal Law § 10.00 (9) (see, People v Pagano, 191 A.D.2d 520; People v. Campbell, 157 A.D.2d 738). Resolution 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, which saw and heard the witness (see, People v. Gaimari, 176 N.Y. 84, 94). Its determination should be accorded great weight on appeal and should not be disturbed unless clearly unsupported by the record (see, People v Garafolo, 44 A.D.2d 86, 88). Upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15).

The scope and extent of cross-examination is within the sound discretion of the trial court (see, People v. Sorge, 301 N.Y. 198, 202). In the present case, defense counsel was afforded extensive leeway in questioning the two complainants on the controverted topics. Counsel was permitted to inquire, inter alia, into how the two complainants met that night, where they had been before the incident, and how long they had been in the park before being robbed. Therefore, the limitations imposed by the court did not constitute an improvident exercise of discretion (see, People v Anderson, 168 A.D.2d 624).

Furthermore, the court did not improvidently exercise its discretion in permitting the prosecutor to question the defendant's character witness about whether he had heard that the defendant had a previous arrest for burglary in the third degree (see, People v. Duhaney, 157 A.D.2d 665; People v. Cruz, 147 A.D.2d 584; People v. Wharton, 138 A.D.2d 429).

The defendant's remaining contentions are unpreserved for appellate review or without merit. Sullivan, J.P., Miller, O'Brien and Ritter, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Coleman

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 6, 1993
195 A.D.2d 475 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
Case details for

People v. Coleman

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JAMES COLEMAN…

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

Date published: Jul 6, 1993

Citations

195 A.D.2d 475 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
600 N.Y.S.2d 115

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