Opinion
April 18, 1991
Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Daniel FitzGerald, J.).
Defendant sold five vials of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer. Although more than three hours elapsed between the purchase and the time that the defendant was apprehended on the street and identified, no arrest was made until after the undercover officer confirmed that defendant was the person from whom he had purchased drugs earlier in the day. The undercover officer also made a subsequent stationhouse confirmation of defendant's identity. Under the circumstances, viewing the evidence adduced at trial in a light most favorable to the People (see, People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 621), we find that there is ample evidence from which a rational trier of fact could find the essential elements of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt.
Concur — Murphy, P.J., Milonas, Ellerin, Ross and Rubin, JJ.