Opinion
No. 2017-13410 Ind. No. 2179/16
07-13-2022
The People of the State of New York, respondent, v. Blas Vanhoven, appellant.
Patricia Pazner, New York, NY (Erica Horwitz of counsel), for appellant. Melinda Katz, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, NY (Johnnette Traill and Nancy Fitzpatrick Talcott of counsel; Anmari Guerrero on the brief), for respondent.
Patricia Pazner, New York, NY (Erica Horwitz of counsel), for appellant.
Melinda Katz, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, NY (Johnnette Traill and Nancy Fitzpatrick Talcott of counsel; Anmari Guerrero on the brief), for respondent.
BETSY BARROS, J.P. JOSEPH J. MALTESE PAUL WOOTEN BARRY E. WARHIT, JJ.
DECISION & ORDER
Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Barry Kron, J.), rendered October 4, 2017, convicting him of criminal contempt in the first degree, upon his plea of guilty, and imposing sentence. Assigned counsel has submitted a brief in accordance with Anders v California (386 U.S. 738), in which she moves for leave to withdraw as counsel for the appellant.
ORDERED that the motion of Patricia Pazner for leave to withdraw as counsel for the appellant is granted, and she is directed to turn over all papers in her possession to new counsel assigned herein; and it is further, ORDERED that Justine Luongo, Attorney-in-Charge of the Criminal Defense Practice, 199 Water Street, New York, New York 10038, is assigned as counsel to prosecute the appeal; and it is further, ORDERED that the respondent is directed to furnish a copy of the certified transcript of the proceedings to the appellant's new assigned counsel; and it is further, ORDERED that new counsel shall serve and file a brief on behalf of the appellant within 90 days of the date of this decision and order on motion, and the respondent shall serve and file its brief within 30 days after the brief on behalf of the appellant is served and filed. By prior decision and order on motion of this Court dated February 14, 2018, the appellant was granted leave to prosecute the appeal as a poor person, with the appeal to be heard on the original papers, including a certified transcript of the proceedings, and on the briefs of the parties. The parties are directed to upload, through the digital portal on this Court's website, digital copies of their respective briefs, with proof of service of one hard copy on each other (see 22 NYCRR 670.9[a]).
While we are satisfied with the sufficiency of the brief filed by assigned counsel, upon this Court's independent review of the record, we conclude that nonfrivolous issues exist, including, but not necessarily limited to, whether the defendant's plea of guilty was entered knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily (see People v Robinson, 175 A.D.3d 719, 721).
Accordingly, we must assign new counsel to represent the defendant (see Matter of Giovanni S. [Jasmin A.], 89 A.D.3d 252, 258).
BARROS, J.P., MALTESE, WOOTEN and WARHIT, JJ., concur.