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People v. Smith [4th Dept 2001

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Mar 21, 2001
281 A.D.2d 957 (N.Y. App. Div. 2001)

Opinion

March 21, 2001.

Appeal from Judgment of Supreme Court, Monroe County, Sirkin, J. — Rape, 1st Degree.

BEFORE: PINE, J. P., HAYES, HURLBUTT, SCUDDER AND LAWTON, JJ.


Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum:

Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him after a nonjury trial of two counts each of rape in the first degree (Penal Law § 130.35) and incest (Penal Law § 255.25). We reject defendant's contention that Supreme Court abused its discretion in precluding cross-examination of the complainant concerning a prior allegation of sexual abuse against her father. "[E]vidence of a victim's prior complaint of a sex crime does not come within the proscriptive scope of CPL 60.42; therefore, its `admissibility rests within the discretion of the trial court'" ( People v. Hamel, 174 A.D.2d 837, quoting People v. Harris, 132 A.D.2d 940, 941). The preclusion of such questioning does not constitute an abuse of discretion where, as here, defendant made no showing that the prior allegation was false ( see, People v. Mandel, 48 N.Y.2d 952, 953, appeal dismissed and cert denied 446 U.S. 949 , reh denied 448 U.S. 908; People v. Gozdalski, 239 A.D.2d 896, 897 , lv. denied 90 N.Y.2d 858). Defendant abandoned his equivocal request to proceed pro se, and thus his further contention that the court erred in denying that request is not properly before us ( see, People v. Branch, 155 A.D.2d 473, 474, lv. denied 75 N.Y.2d 867; see also, People v Ramsey, 201 A.D.2d 915, lv. denied 83 N.Y.2d 875).


Summaries of

People v. Smith [4th Dept 2001

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Mar 21, 2001
281 A.D.2d 957 (N.Y. App. Div. 2001)
Case details for

People v. Smith [4th Dept 2001

Case Details

Full title:PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT, v. ADAM SMITH…

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

Date published: Mar 21, 2001

Citations

281 A.D.2d 957 (N.Y. App. Div. 2001)
722 N.Y.S.2d 850

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