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People v. McCrimmon

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 8, 1987
131 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)

Opinion

June 8, 1987

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Heller, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

We agree with the hearing court that the complainant's identification of the defendant at the crime scene, four days after the incident, was not unduly suggestive. The purpose of the complainant's observation of the defendant was to confirm that the right person would be arrested (see, People v Gissendanner, 48 N.Y.2d 543, 552; People v Hooper, 112 A.D.2d 317, 318).

The testimony of the complainant alone was sufficient to support the conviction (see, People v Arroyo, 54 N.Y.2d 567, 578, cert denied 456 U.S. 979). The jury was entitled to give great weight to his testimony and to reject that of the defendant and his alibi witnesses. Matters of credibility, reliability and the weight to be given to the witnesses' testimony are primarily for the jury to determine (see, People v Hooper, supra, at 318). Upon the exercise of our factual review power we are satisfied that the evidence established the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15). Further, contrary to the defendant's contention, the trial court gave a thorough charge to the jury on the issue of identification (see, 1 CJI [NY] 10.01, at 580; People v Daniels, 88 A.D.2d 392; see also, People v Whalen, 59 N.Y.2d 273, 276).

The defendant further claims that the admission of his statement to the police on the People's direct case warrants reversal. However, since the defendant did not object to the admission of the statement at the time it was offered into evidence, the issue is not preserved for our review as a matter of law (see, People v Rivera, 53 N.Y.2d 1005). With respect to the defendant's contention that his statement should have been suppressed because it was taken in contravention of his right to counsel, we note that the only issue raised in his omnibus motion is the voluntariness of the statement. While the court (Coffinas, J.) had apparently ordered Wade and Huntley hearings, the trial court only held a Wade hearing, without objection by trial counsel. Accordingly, there is no basis in this record upon which we may determine that the statement was improperly admitted into evidence (see, People v Hunter, 122 A.D.2d 166, lv denied 68 N.Y.2d 770). Further, we cannot conclude on this record that defense counsel's failure to pursue a Huntley hearing or to object to the admission into evidence of the defendant's statement constituted ineffective assistance of counsel. None of the defendant's other arguments with respect to counsel's conduct at the trial warrant a finding that the defendant was denied meaningful representation at the trial (see, People v Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137).

In addition, the trial court, based upon trial defense counsel's offer of proof, did not abuse its discretion by denying the defendant's request to call a certain witness (see, People v Johnson, 61 N.Y.2d 932). In any event, even if it were error, we would find that it was harmless (see, People v Crimmins, 36 N.Y.2d 230, 238-242; People v Daly, 64 N.Y.2d 970, 971).

The other contentions raised by the defendant in his pro se supplemental brief are either unpreserved for appellate review or without merit. Thompson, J.P., Lawrence, Weinstein and Harwood, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. McCrimmon

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 8, 1987
131 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)
Case details for

People v. McCrimmon

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. DOUGLAS McCRIMMON…

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

Date published: Jun 8, 1987

Citations

131 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)

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