People v Mighty

People v Mighty 2013 NY Slip Op 05838 Decided on September 11, 2013 Appellate Division, Second Department Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports.

Decided on September 11, 2013
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKAPPELLATE DIVISION : SECOND JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
RANDALL T. ENG, P.J.
MARK C. DILLON
THOMAS A. DICKERSON
CHERYL E. CHAMBERS, JJ.
2010-07775
2010-07777
(Ind. No. 2258/09)

[*1]The People of the State of New York, respondent,

v

Juan Mighty, appellant.




Lynn W. L. Fahey, New York, N.Y. (Jessica M. McNamara and
Kendra L. Hutchinson of counsel), for appellant.
Richard A. Brown, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, N.Y. (John
M. Castellano, Sharon Y. Brodt, and
Roni C. Piplani of counsel), for
respondent.


DECISION & ORDER

Appeals by the defendant from (1) a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Kron, J.), rendered July 15, 2010, and (2) an amended judgment of the same court (Griffin, J.), rendered July 28, 2010, convicting him of attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree (two counts), assault in the third degree (two counts), and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (two counts), upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

ORDERED that the appeal from the judgment rendered July 15, 2010, is dismissed, as that judgment was superseded by the amended judgment rendered July 28, 2010; and it is further,

ORDERED that the amended judgment is modified, on the law, by reducing the defendant's conviction of assault in the third degree under count eight of the indictment to attempted assault in the third degree, and vacating the sentence imposed thereon; as so modified, the amended judgment is affirmed.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v Contes, 60 NY2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt of attempted assault in the first degree beyond a reasonable doubt (see People v Chiddick, 8 NY3d 445; People v Andrews, 78 AD3d 1229, 1230-1231). Moreover, upon our independent review pursuant to CPL 470.15(5), we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt as to that count was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v Romero, 7 NY3d 633).

However, we agree with the defendant that the evidence was not legally sufficient to establish his guilt of assault in the third degree under count eight of the indictment (see People v Cheeks, 161 AD2d 657). Nevertheless, the evidence was legally sufficient to establish his guilt of the lesser-included offense of attempted assault in the third degree (see CPL 470.15[2][a]; People v Woodford, 259 AD2d 717).

The defendant's contention that certain counts were multiplicitous is unpreserved for [*2]appellate review and, in any event, without merit (see People v Smalls, 81 AD3d 860, 861).

The defendant's remaining contention is without merit.

As the defendant has already served in excess of the maximum term for attempted assault in the third degree, there is no need to remit the matter for resentencing (see People v Woodford, 259 AD2d at 717-718).
ENG, P.J., DILLON, DICKERSON and CHAMBERS, JJ., concur.

ENTER:

Aprilanne Agostino

Clerk of the Court