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People v. Gaskins

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 28, 1991
173 A.D.2d 727 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

Opinion

May 28, 1991

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


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant's judgment of conviction was premised upon circumstantial evidence that he possessed 100 vials of crackcocaine. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620), we must determine whether the evidence of the defendant's guilt flows naturally from the facts proved, is consistent with them, and whether the facts proved exclude to a moral certainty every reasonable hypothesis of innocence (see, People v Benzinger, 36 N.Y.2d 29, 32; People v Tedesco, 143 A.D.2d 155).

The testimony of Housing Police Officer Chinissi established that as he entered a store he observed the defendant "flinc[h] back" and that he then saw an object drop to the ground. Officer Chinissi approached the defendant and picked up the object which was determined to be a plastic bag containing 100 vials of crack-cocaine. Chinissi further testified that the defendant was the only person present in the common area of the store. Additionally, the testimony of Police Chemist Michael Guzzardi established that the aggregate weight of the crack-cocaine contained in the 100 vials was "one-eighth of an ounce, plus 50 grains". These facts lead naturally and reasonably to the conclusion of guilt and are inconsistent with any hypothesis of innocence (see, People v Benzinger, supra, at 33). Moreover, there was legally sufficient evidence of the element of intent to sell a controlled substance based upon the defendant's possession of 100 vials of crack-cocaine (see, People v Vailes, 150 A.D.2d 406).

The defendant failed to preserve for appellate review his claim with regard to the allegedly improper remark of the prosecutor during summation since he failed to raise any objection at trial (see, CPL 470.05). Moreover, we find that the innocuous demonstration by the prosecution in demonstrating how the defendant might have dropped the bag of drugs to the ground did not unfairly prejudice the defendant (see, People v Fisher, 148 A.D.2d 628).

We have considered the defendant's remaining contention and find it to be without merit (see, People v Pena, 50 N.Y.2d 400, 411-412, cert denied 449 U.S. 1087; People v Norfleet, 146 A.D.2d 812). Mangano, P.J., Bracken, Brown and Balletta, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Gaskins

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 28, 1991
173 A.D.2d 727 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
Case details for

People v. Gaskins

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. CHARLES GASKINS…

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

Date published: May 28, 1991

Citations

173 A.D.2d 727 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
570 N.Y.S.2d 240

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