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People v. Moore

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Sep 24, 1990
165 A.D.2d 884 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)

Opinion

September 24, 1990

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


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

On August 4, 1986, at approximately 11:00 P.M., three men, subsequently identified as the defendant Johnny Moore, and his codefendants, Albert Griffin (see, People v. Griffin, 165 A.D.2d 881 [decided herewith]), and Willie Sykes, entered the Cadmill Social Club and robbed the patrons and staff at gunpoint. The trio assaulted the patrons and, after taking their money, two of the men, allegedly the defendant and Griffin, fled in an automobile parked nearby. They were apprehended in the vehicle after they threw out a black bag containing the proceeds of the robbery and several vials of crack cocaine. After the individual subsequently identified as the defendant was handcuffed, he drew a weapon and attempted to fire at one of the officers. Ample testimony was presented at the joint trial of the trio regarding the activities of the three gunmen, but only the doorman of the social club was able to identify the defendant at trial as one of the robbers. The defendant was convicted, inter alia, of robbery and attempted aggravated assault of a police officer, and this appeal ensued.

The defendant's contention that the prosecutor acted without authority when he asked the Grand Jury to vacate its previous vote and consider new evidence without first seeking court authorization (see, CPL 190.75) is without merit. Permission is required only where the first Grand Jury hearing the evidence rejected it as insufficient (see, People v. Cade, 74 N.Y.2d 410, 414; People v. Simmons, 158 A.D.2d 727). Here the resubmission was made after the Grand Jury had originally voted to indict the defendant. Since the prosecutor's actions neither impaired the integrity of the Grand Jury proceedings nor risked prejudice to the defendant, the indictment filed against him may stand (see, CPL 210.35; People v. Cade, supra, at 415). Under the circumstances, the trial court did not err in denying the defendant's request to review the Grand Jury minutes.

Also without merit is the defendant's contention that the People failed to establish that he intended to shoot the police officer and that thus his conviction of attempted aggravated assault should be reversed. 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 support the conviction. That evidence established that the defendant rose from a seated position, removed a gun from his waistband and, with his finger on the trigger, pointed the gun at the officer's midsection. The defendant's intent could clearly be inferred from his conduct (see, People v. Bracey, 41 N.Y.2d 296; People v DeWitt, 130 A.D.2d 504).

We agree with the defendant that the station house identification procedures conducted in this case were improper and that the trial court erred in permitting a police officer to testify that one of the patrons had identified the defendant in a showup (see, People v. Riley, 70 N.Y.2d 523; People v. Tillman, 147 A.D.2d 599; People v. Guillermo, 137 A.D.2d 832). However, in light of the cumulative nature of this testimony and the overwhelming proof of the defendant's guilt, we find that this error was harmless (see, People v. Crimmins, 36 N.Y.2d 230). We note that the defendant's further contentions that the patron and the doorman should not have been permitted to testify as to their station house identifications of him, and that the doorman should not have been permitted to make an in-court identification, are unpreserved for appellate review since the defendant withdrew his pretrial motion for a Wade hearing and did not object to the testimony in question (see, CPL 470.05; 710.70 [3]; People v. Anderson, 136 A.D.2d 712).

Finally, we conclude that the evidence, the law and the circumstances of this case, viewed together and as of the time of representation, reveal that the defendant was provided with meaningful representation by counsel (see, People v Satterfield, 66 N.Y.2d 796; People v. Belgrave, 143 A.D.2d 103; People v. White, 137 A.D.2d 859). Brown, J.P., Kooper, Harwood and Balletta, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Moore

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Sep 24, 1990
165 A.D.2d 884 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)
Case details for

People v. Moore

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JOHNNY MOORE, Appellant

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

Date published: Sep 24, 1990

Citations

165 A.D.2d 884 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)
560 N.Y.S.2d 352

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