Opinion
2012-12-21
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Leonard JACKSON, Defendant–Appellant.
Timothy P. Donaher, Public Defender, Rochester (David M. Abbatoy, Jr., of Counsel), for Defendant–Appellant. Sandra Doorley, District Attorney, Rochester (Erin Tubbs of Counsel), for Respondent.
Timothy P. Donaher, Public Defender, Rochester (David M. Abbatoy, Jr., of Counsel), for Defendant–Appellant. Sandra Doorley, District Attorney, Rochester (Erin Tubbs of Counsel), for Respondent.
PRESENT: SCUDDER, P.J., CENTRA, FAHEY, CARNI, AND VALENTINO, JJ.
MEMORANDUM:
Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him, after a nonjury trial, of rape in the second degree (Penal Law § 130.30[1] ) and criminal sexual act in the second degree (§ 130.45[1] ), and acquitting him of rape in the first degree (§ 130.35[1] ). Viewing the evidence in light of the elements of the crimes in this nonjury trial ( see People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 349, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1), we reject defendant's contention that the verdict is against the weight of the evidence ( see generally People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672). Although Supreme Court rejected the victim's testimony that the acts of anal and vaginal intercourse were forced, the court “was entitled to ‘accept some of the victim['s] testimony while rejecting other portions of it’ ” ( People v. Simonetta, 94 A.D.3d 1242, 1244, 942 N.Y.S.2d 270,lv. denied19 N.Y.3d 1029, 953 N.Y.S.2d 562, 978 N.E.2d 114), and thus the court was justified in finding, beyond a reasonable doubt, that defendant engaged in anal and vaginal intercourse with the 13–year–old victim ( see Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d at 348, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1).
We also conclude that defendant's sentence is not unduly harsh or severe based on the court's imposition of consecutive sentences. Where “the crimes are committed through separate and distinct acts, even though part of a single transaction, consecutive sentences are possible regardless of whether the statutory elements of the offenses overlap” ( People v. Salcedo, 92 N.Y.2d 1019, 1021, 684 N.Y.S.2d 480, 707 N.E.2d 435;see People v. Hurlbert, 81 A.D.3d 1430, 1432, 916 N.Y.S.2d 713,lv. denied16 N.Y.3d 896, 926 N.Y.S.2d 31, 949 N.E.2d 979). Here, as noted, defendant engaged in the separate and distinct acts of vaginal and anal intercourse with the victim.
It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.