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People v. Dukes

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Dec 31, 1998
256 A.D.2d 1181 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

December 31, 1998

Appeal from Judgment of Ontario County Court, Henry, Jr., J. — Criminal Trespass, 2nd Degree.


Appeal from judgment insofar as it imposes sentence of incarceration unanimously dismissed and judgment affirmed. Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him of criminal trespass in the second degree (Penal Law § 140.15), criminal mischief in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 145.00) and endangering the welfare of a child (Penal Law § 260.10). Defendant contends that the prosecutor violated CPL 60.35 (1) by impeaching his own witness with a prior inconsistent statement. Because the witness's trial testimony did not affirmatively damage the People's case, the prosecutor was permitted to use the witness's prior statement, to refresh the witness's recollection, but could not disclose its contents to the jury ( see, People v. Sullivan, 227 A.D.2d 895, lv denied 88 N.Y.2d 995; People v. Lawrence, 227 A.D.2d 893). To the extent that the prosecutor disclosed to the jury the number of times the witness had previously said she was hit and kicked, he violated CPL 60.35 (3). We conclude, however, that the error is harmless because defendant was acquitted of assault ( see generally, People v. Swift, 241 A.D.2d 949, 949-950, lv denied 91 N.Y.2d 881, 1013). Finally, because defendant has completed serving his sentence, his contention that the sentence is unduly harsh or severe is moot ( see, People v. Griffin, 239 A.D.2d 936; People v. Ferguson, 158 A.D.2d 712, 713).

Present — Pine, J. P., Hayes, Wisner, Pigott, Jr., and Boehm, JJ.


Summaries of

People v. Dukes

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Dec 31, 1998
256 A.D.2d 1181 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Dukes

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. ROBERT Y. DUKES…

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

Date published: Dec 31, 1998

Citations

256 A.D.2d 1181 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
684 N.Y.S.2d 716

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