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People v. Spencer

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, New York.
Mar 18, 2022
203 A.D.3d 1725 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022)

Opinion

1149 KA 18-01267

03-18-2022

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Anthony SPENCER, Jr., Also Known as Anthony J. Spencer, Jr., Also Known as Anthony J. Spencer, Defendant-Appellant.

THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (JOHN J. MORRISSEY OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. LAWRENCE FRIEDMAN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BATAVIA (ROBERT J. SHOEMAKER OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.


THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (JOHN J. MORRISSEY OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

LAWRENCE FRIEDMAN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BATAVIA (ROBERT J. SHOEMAKER OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.

PRESENT: WHALEN, P.J., SMITH, NEMOYER, AND CURRAN, JJ.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him, upon a jury verdict, of gang assault in the first degree ( Penal Law § 120.07 ) and assault in the first degree (§ 120.10 [1]). We affirm.

Viewing the evidence in light of the elements of the crimes as charged to the jury (see People v. Danielson , 9 N.Y.3d 342, 349, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 [2007] ), we reject defendant's contention that the verdict is against the weight of the evidence (see generally People v. Bleakley , 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672 [1987] ). Contrary to defendant's further contention, County Court properly denied his request for a justification instruction (see People v. McGhee , 4 A.D.3d 485, 486, 772 N.Y.S.2d 344 [2d Dept. 2004], lv denied 2 N.Y.3d 803, 781 N.Y.S.2d 302, 814 N.E.2d 474 [2004] ; see generally People v. Hall , 195 A.D.3d 1574, 1575, 145 N.Y.S.3d 912 [4th Dept. 2021], lv denied 37 N.Y.3d 1096, 156 N.Y.S.3d 788, 178 N.E.3d 435 [2021] ). We reject defendant's four claims of ineffective assistance of counsel (see People v. Harris , 195 A.D.3d 1535, 1537, 145 N.Y.S.3d 891 [4th Dept. 2021], lv denied 37 N.Y.3d 1027, 153 N.Y.S.3d 422, 175 N.E.3d 447 [2021] ; People v. Townsend , 171 A.D.3d 1479, 1481, 99 N.Y.S.3d 156 [4th Dept. 2019], lv denied 33 N.Y.3d 1109, 106 N.Y.S.3d 656, 130 N.E.3d 1266 [2019] ; People v. Dark , 122 A.D.3d 1321, 1322-1323, 996 N.Y.S.2d 830 [4th Dept. 2014], lv denied 26 N.Y.3d 1039, 22 N.Y.S.3d 168, 43 N.E.3d 378 [2015], reconsideration denied 27 N.Y.3d 1068, 38 N.Y.S.3d 838, 60 N.E.3d 1204 [2016] ; People v. Betsch , 4 A.D.3d 818, 819, 772 N.Y.S.2d 175 [4th Dept. 2004], lv denied 2 N.Y.3d 796, 781 N.Y.S.2d 295, 814 N.E.2d 467 [2004], reconsideration denied 3 N.Y.3d 657, 782 N.Y.S.2d 699, 816 N.E.2d 572 [2004] ). The sentence is not unduly harsh or severe. Defendant's remaining contention is unpreserved for appellate review, and we decline to exercise our power to address it as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice (see CPL 470.15 [6] [a] ).


Summaries of

People v. Spencer

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, New York.
Mar 18, 2022
203 A.D.3d 1725 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022)
Case details for

People v. Spencer

Case Details

Full title:The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Anthony SPENCER, Jr.…

Court:Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, New York.

Date published: Mar 18, 2022

Citations

203 A.D.3d 1725 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022)
203 A.D.3d 1725