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People v. Cassels

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Apr 5, 1999
260 A.D.2d 392 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)

Opinion

April 5, 1999

Appeal from the County Court, Dutchess County (Dolan, J.).


Ordered that the judgment and the order are affirmed.

The credible evidence adduced at the Huntley hearing indicates that the defendant's admission in Family Court to the rape and sodomy of his stepdaughter was knowing and voluntary (see, CPL 60.45; People v. Spivack, 111 A.D.2d 884).

Further, the County Court correctly denied the defendant's motion to vacate the judgment pursuant to CPL 440.10. Since the child's recantation merely impeached or contradicted the defendant's testimony and her former testimony, it failed to constitute "newly discovered" evidence within the meaning of CPL 440.10 (1) (g) (see, People v. Lavrick, 146 A.D.2d 648, cert denied 493 U.S. 1029; see also, People v. Turner, 215 A.D.2d 703). In addition, the County Court did not improvidently exercise its discretion in failing to grant an evidentiary hearing pursuant to CPL 440.30 based on the child's recantation. The written submissions of the People and the defendant, including the detailed affidavit of the child, wherein she claimed she perjured herself, coupled with the trial record, provided a sufficient basis from which the County Court could decide the motion without a hearing (see, People v. Satterfield, 66 N.Y.2d 796; People v. Crimmins, 38 N.Y.2d 407).

The defendant's remaining contentions are either unpreserved for appellate review or without merit.

S. Miller, J. P., Santucci, Friedmann and Florio, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Cassels

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Apr 5, 1999
260 A.D.2d 392 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)
Case details for

People v. Cassels

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. PETER A. CASSELS, JR.…

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

Date published: Apr 5, 1999

Citations

260 A.D.2d 392 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)
687 N.Y.S.2d 681

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