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People v. Zapata

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 13, 1997
235 A.D.2d 446 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)

Opinion

January 13, 1997.

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Kohm, J.), rendered November 17, 1994, convicting him of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Before: Rosenblatt, J. P., Ritter, Friedmann and Florio, JJ.


Ordered that the judgment is modified, on the law, by reversing the conviction of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, vacating the sentence imposed thereon, and dismissing that count of the indictment; as so modified, the 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 beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, under an acting-in-concert theory ( see, People v Manini, 79 NY2d 561; People v Kaplan, 76 NY2d 140), and that he was in constructive possession of a quantity of cocaine and of a weapon seized at the scene of the crimes ( see, People v Pearson, 75 NY2d 1001; People v Johnson, 209 AD2d 721). Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence ( see, CPL 470.15).

However, as the People concede, the defendant's conviction on the charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree must be vacated and the count of the indictment charging that crime must be dismissed, as it is a lesser-included offense of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree ( see, People v McCray, 204 AD2d 490; CPL 300.40 [b]). The remaining sentences imposed were neither harsh nor excessive ( see, People v Suitte, 90 AD2d 80).

The defendant's remaining contentions are without merit.


Summaries of

People v. Zapata

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 13, 1997
235 A.D.2d 446 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)
Case details for

People v. Zapata

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JUAN ZAPATA, Appellant

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Jan 13, 1997

Citations

235 A.D.2d 446 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)
652 N.Y.S.2d 537

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