Opinion
12-07-2016
The PEOPLE, etc., respondent, v. Deonicio GENAO, appellant.
Lynn W.L. Fahey, New York, NY (Laura B. Tatelman of counsel), for appellant. Eric Gonzalez, Acting District Attorney, Brooklyn, NY (Leonard Joblove and Amy Appelbaum of counsel), for respondent.
Lynn W.L. Fahey, New York, NY (Laura B. Tatelman of counsel), for appellant.
Eric Gonzalez, Acting District Attorney, Brooklyn, NY (Leonard Joblove and Amy Appelbaum of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Shillingford, J.), rendered December 17, 2013, convicting him of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree, and endangering the welfare of a child, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.
The defendant failed to preserve for appellate review his contention that the evidence was legally insufficient to establish his guilt of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree, and endangering the welfare of a child (see CPL 470.05[2] ; People v. Hawkins, 11 N.Y.3d 484, 492, 872 N.Y.S.2d 395, 900 N.E.2d 946 ; People v. Atta, 126 A.D.3d 713, 716, 5 N.Y.S.3d 455 ). In fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15[5] ; People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 ), we nevertheless accord great deference to the jury's opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor (see People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672 ). Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt as to all of the crimes of which the defendant was convicted was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902 ).
Contrary to the defendant's contention, the testimony of the victim's mother and the victim's former boyfriend was properly admitted to assist in explaining the investigative process and completing the narrative of events leading to the defendant's arrest (see People v. Gross, 26 N.Y.3d 689, 695, 27 N.Y.S.3d 459, 47 N.E.3d 738 ; People v. Ludwig, 24 N.Y.3d 221, 231, 997 N.Y.S.2d 351, 21 N.E.3d 1012 ).
The defendant's remaining contentions are not preserved for appellate review (see CPL 470.05[2] ), and we decline to review them in the exercise of our interest of justice jurisdiction.
LEVENTHAL, J.P., CHAMBERS, AUSTIN and LaSALLE, JJ., concur.