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People v. Santiago

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 8, 1992
184 A.D.2d 599 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)

Opinion

June 8, 1992

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Hall, J.).


Ordered that the order is reversed, on the law, the motion is denied, Kings County Indictment Number 3550/90 is reinstated, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Kings County, for further proceedings on the indictment.

Contrary to the Supreme Court's holding, the evidence before the Grand Jury was legally sufficient to support the charges contained in the indictment. The undercover police officer testified that he asked the defendant if he had any "weed", which is a street term for marihuana. The defendant answered "No, I have good D". According to the undercover officer, "D" is a street term for heroin. Upon the arrest of the defendant, the police found 113 glassine envelopes containing white powder. Laboratory analysis revealed that the substance was heroin which weighed 1/8th ounce plus 17.2 grains. This evidence was legally sufficient to support the three counts in the indictment, which charged the defendant with the crimes of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree (see, CPL 190.65; Penal Law § 220.00; § 220.39 [1]; § 220.16 [1]; § 220.09 [1]; see also, People v. McGrath, 115 A.D.2d 128, 129; People v. Herndon, 176 A.D.2d 817).

We have reviewed the defendant's alternate arguments for affirmance, i.e., that the indictment should be dismissed on the ground that the Grand Jury proceeding was "defective" in certain respects (see, CPL 210.20 [c]; 190.25 [6]), and find them to be without merit (see, People v. Augustine, 172 A.D.2d 843; People v. Calbud, Inc., 49 N.Y.2d 389, 394-395; People v. Rallo, 46 A.D.2d 518, affd 39 N.Y.2d 217; People v. Kennedy, 127 Misc.2d 712, 716). Mangano, P.J., Bracken, Balletta and O'Brien, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Santiago

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 8, 1992
184 A.D.2d 599 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
Case details for

People v. Santiago

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Appellant, v. RAYMOND SANTIAGO…

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

Date published: Jun 8, 1992

Citations

184 A.D.2d 599 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
584 N.Y.S.2d 624