From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. McTootle

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Oct 12, 1993
197 A.D.2d 597 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)

Opinion

October 12, 1993

Appeal from the County Court, Nassau County (Harrington, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

We find no merit to the defendant's contention that his arrest was not based on probable cause. The evidence adduced at the hearing indicates that the arresting detective witnessed the defendant push his way into an apartment. After verifying with the tenant that the defendant had no right to enter her apartment, the detective had probable cause to arrest the defendant for criminal trespass and to search him incident to that arrest (see, People v. Gonzalez, 138 A.D.2d 622). Therefore, we find that the hearing court properly refused to suppress the cocaine recovered as a result of the post-arrest search of the defendant.

Furthermore, we find that there is no merit to the defendant's contention that there was legally insufficient evidence supporting his convictions of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. It is well-settled that an expert who tested the substance recovered for the presence of cocaine may not rely solely upon a test involving a comparison of the substance to a known standard, when the expert failed to also test the known standard (see, People v. Branton, 67 A.D.2d 664; People v. Miller, 57 A.D.2d 668). However, such a test may be relied upon by the expert, in conjunction with a series of different tests, not all involving a known standard, when testifying as to an opinion that the substance contained cocaine (see, People v. Flores, 138 A.D.2d 512; People v. Gonzalez, 127 A.D.2d 787; People v. Wicks, 122 A.D.2d 239). Therefore, in viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the People (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. Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilty was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15).

We also find that the sentence imposed was not excessive (see, People v. Suitte, 90 A.D.2d 80).

The defendant's remaining contentions, including those raised in his supplemental pro se brief, are unpreserved for appellate review or are without merit. Bracken, J.P., Sullivan, Copertino and Pizzuto, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. McTootle

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Oct 12, 1993
197 A.D.2d 597 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
Case details for

People v. McTootle

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. GREGORY McTOOTLE…

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

Date published: Oct 12, 1993

Citations

197 A.D.2d 597 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
602 N.Y.S.2d 425

Citing Cases

People v. McCarthy

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed. Contrary to the defendant's contention, the expert chemist's testimony…

People v. Howard

In any event, defendant was afforded a meaningful opportunity to use the allegedly exculpatory information at…