From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Cordovano

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Dec 22, 1995
222 A.D.2d 1048 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)

Opinion

December 22, 1995

Appeal from the Erie County Court, LaMendola, J.

Present — Pine, J.P., Fallon, Callahan, Davis and Boehm, JJ.


Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: On appeal from a judgment convicting him of falsifying business records in the first degree and grand larceny in the third degree, defendant contends that County Court erred in permitting the People to present proof that defendant frequently played the lottery as proof of motive. While "the proof here relied upon by the prosecution to supply evidence of motive bears no logical relationship to commission of the criminal act with which defendant was charged" (People v Namer, 309 N.Y. 458, 462; see, People v Napoletano, 58 A.D.2d 83, 93), we conclude that the error in admitting that proof was harmless. There is no significant probability that the jury would have acquitted defendant but for the error (see, People v Crimmins, 36 N.Y.2d 230, 242).

We have examined defendant's remaining contentions and conclude that they are lacking in merit.


Summaries of

People v. Cordovano

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Dec 22, 1995
222 A.D.2d 1048 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)
Case details for

People v. Cordovano

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. THOMAS A. CORDOVANO…

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

Date published: Dec 22, 1995

Citations

222 A.D.2d 1048 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)
635 N.Y.S.2d 863