Opinion
16387 Ind. No. 846/17 Case No. 2019-2943
10-11-2022
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Kowan CUTTS, Defendant–Appellant.
Janet E. Sabel, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Simon Greenberg of counsel), for appellant. Darcel D. Clark, District Attorney, Bronx (Kalani A. Browne of counsel), for respondent.
Janet E. Sabel, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Simon Greenberg of counsel), for appellant.
Darcel D. Clark, District Attorney, Bronx (Kalani A. Browne of counsel), for respondent.
Gische, J.P., Kern, Gesmer, Rodriguez, Pitt, JJ.
Judgment, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Robert A. Neary, J.), rendered February 21, 2018, convicting defendant, upon his plea of guilty, of making false statement, stolen vehicles ( Vehicle and Traffic Law § 426 ), and sentencing him to a definite jail term of one year, unanimously modified, on the law, to the extent of reducing the mandatory surcharge and crime victim assistance fee imposed at sentencing to $55, and $5, respectively, and otherwise affirmed.
Defendant made a valid waiver of his right to appeal (see People v. Thomas, 34 N.Y.3d 545, 559, 122 N.Y.S.3d 226, 144 N.E.3d 970 [2019], cert denied 589 U.S. ––––, 140 S. Ct. 2634, 206 L.Ed.2d 512 [2020] ), which forecloses review of his argument that the mandatory surcharge and fees imposed should be vacated pursuant to CPL 420.35(2–a) (see People v. Diaz, 205 A.D.3d 624, 166 N.Y.S.3d 857 [1st Dept. 2022], lv denied 38 N.Y.3d 1133, 172 N.Y.S.3d 863, 193 N.E.3d 528 [2022] ). Accordingly, we need not reach the question of whether this statute applies retroactively to defendant, who was convicted before its enactment (see People v. Escalona, 202 A.D.3d 451, 158 N.Y.S.3d 583 [1st Dept. 2022], lv denied 38 N.Y.3d 1070, 171 N.Y.S.3d 458, 191 N.E.3d 410 [2022] ).
However, the People concede that the amounts of the mandatory surcharge and crime victim assistance fee imposed were incorrect, because the fee schedule set forth in Vehicle and Traffic Law applies, rather than as set forth in the Penal Law.