Opinion
06-08-2016
In the Matter of ENDING G. (Anonymous), appellant.
Geanine Towers, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y., attorney for the child, the appellant, Ending G. Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel, New York, N.Y. (Jane L. Gordon and Melanie T. West of counsel), for respondent.
Geanine Towers, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y., attorney for the child, the appellant, Ending G.
Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel, New York, N.Y. (Jane L. Gordon and Melanie T. West of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of disposition of the Family Court, Richmond County (Helene D. Sacco, J.), dated September 17, 2015. The order, insofar as appealed from, adjudicated Ending G. a juvenile delinquent. The appeal brings up for review a fact-finding order of that court dated August 17, 2015, which, after a hearing, found that Ending G. committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and that he committed the juvenile act of unlawful possession of weapons by persons under sixteen.
ORDERED that the order of disposition is affirmed insofar as appealed from, without costs or disbursements.
In fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see Matter of Chakelton M., 111 A.D.3d 732, 733, 975 N.Y.S.2d 95 ; Matter of Danielle B., 94 A.D.3d 757, 758, 941 N.Y.S.2d 685 ; cf. CPL 470.15[5] ), we nevertheless accord great deference to the factfinder's opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor (see Matter of Myron J., 123 A.D.3d 1030, 1031, 999 N.Y.S.2d 169 ; Matter of Christopher H., 123 A.D.3d 713, 714, 997 N.Y.S.2d 682 ). Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the Family Court's fact-finding determinations were not against the weight of the evidence.
LEVENTHAL, J.P., DICKERSON, SGROI and COHEN, JJ., concur.