Opinion
Argued May 8, 2000.
June 12, 2000.
Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Hall, J.), rendered April 28, 1997, convicting him of kidnapping in the first degree (two counts), upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.
Lynn W. L. Fahey, New York, N.Y. (William A. Loeb of counsel), for appellant, and appellant pro se.
Charles J. Hynes, District Attorney, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Leonard Joblove and Cynthia Kean of counsel), for respondent.
Before: DANIEL W. JOY, J.P., WILLIAM D. FRIEDMANN, GABRIEL M. KRAUSMAN, HOWARD MILLER, JJ.
DECISION ORDER
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.
Contrary to the defendant's contention, the trial court providently exercised its discretion in denying his challenge for cause of two prospective jurors. The concerns manifested by the subject venirepersons did not rise to a level of actual bias or otherwise indicate that they would be unable to render an impartial verdict (see, People v. Hernandez, 222 A.D.2d 696; People v. Archer, 210 A.D.2d 241).
The imposition of consecutive sentences was not unlawful (see, People v. Adams, 225 A.D.2d 506; People v. Phillips, 208 A.D.2d 656, 656-6 57; People v. Sutton, 208 A.D.2d 574).
Contrary to the claim raised in the defendant's supplemental pro se brief, under the totality of the circumstances, he received the effective assistance of counsel (see, People v. Benevento, 91 N.Y.2d 708, 712-713; People v. Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 147).