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People v. Fraschilla

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 15, 1993
198 A.D.2d 374 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)

Opinion

November 15, 1993

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


Ordered that the judgment is modified, on the law, by directing that the definite terms of one year imprisonment on each count of assault in the second degree run concurrently instead of consecutively to each other; as so modified, the judgment is affirmed, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Queens County, for further proceedings pursuant to CPL 460.50 (5).

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Resolution of issues of credibility, as well as the weight to be accorded to the evidence presented, are primarily questions to be determined by the jury, which saw and heard the witnesses (see, People v Gaimari, 176 N.Y. 84, 94). Its determination should be accorded great weight on appeal and should not be disturbed unless clearly unsupported by the record (see, People v Garafolo, 44 A.D.2d 86, 88). Upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15).

However, we find the sentence imposed upon the defendant was improper. The court imposed consecutive definite terms of one year imprisonment on each count of assault in the second degree. Pursuant to Penal Law § 70.25 (3), where definite terms of imprisonment are imposed, the aggregate of consecutive terms of imprisonment for offenses which were committed as parts of a single transaction shall not exceed one year. Since the offenses committed arose from a single criminal transaction, the imposition of consecutive definite sentences aggregating more than one year was improper (see, People v Taylor, 197 A.D.2d 858; People v Judkins, 139 A.D.2d 792; People v Pellegriti, 98 A.D.2d 950; People v Causer, 88 A.D.2d 786).

We have examined the defendant's remaining contentions, and find that they are unpreserved for appellate review, without merit, or involve harmless error. Lawrence, J.P., Eiber, O'Brien and Santucci, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Fraschilla

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 15, 1993
198 A.D.2d 374 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
Case details for

People v. Fraschilla

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JOHN FRASCHILLA…

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

Date published: Nov 15, 1993

Citations

198 A.D.2d 374 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
605 N.Y.S.2d 881

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