Summary
affirming plea conviction to the "nonexistent crime" of attempted first-degree manslaughter, but noting that "a jury verdict convicting a person of that crime would be invalid"
Summary of this case from State v. PollmanOpinion
November 15, 1995
Appeal from the Steuben County Court, Bradstreet, J.
Present — Green, J.P., Lawton, Fallon, Doerr and Balio, JJ.
Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: We reject the contention of defendant that he was deprived of effective assistance of counsel. Although defense counsel made inappropriate remarks during the Huntley hearing, viewing the evidence, the law and the circumstances of the case, in totality and as of the time of representation, we conclude that defendant's attorney provided meaningful representation (see, People v Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 147).
The court did not err in accepting defendant's guilty plea to attempted manslaughter in the first degree. Although attempted manslaughter in the first degree is a nonexistent crime and a jury verdict convicting a person of that crime would be invalid (see, People v Martinez, 81 N.Y.2d 810), the negotiated plea was knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily made. We conclude, therefore, that the court properly accepted the plea (see, People v Foster, 19 N.Y.2d 150).
According great weight to the determination of the suppression court, as we must (see, People v Klumbach, 202 A.D.2d 1009, lv denied 83 N.Y.2d 912, citing People v Prochilo, 41 N.Y.2d 759, 761; People v Hill, 175 A.D.2d 603), we conclude that the court did not err in refusing to suppress statements made by defendant to the State police. Although the record establishes that defendant was intoxicated, self-induced intoxication does not in and of itself render the statements inadmissible (see, People v Adams, 26 N.Y.2d 129, 137, cert denied 399 U.S. 931; People v Klumbach, supra). The record establishes that defendant was able to respond intelligently to the State Troopers, and ultimately stated that he did not want to give a statement and asked for an attorney. Under the circumstances, the court's determination was not clearly erroneous (see, People v Klumbach, supra).