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People v. DeWitt

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 4, 1987
130 A.D.2d 504 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)

Opinion

May 4, 1987

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Queens County (Chetta, J.).


Ordered that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the law, that branch of the defendant's motion which was to dismiss the first count of indictment No. 6200/85 is denied, that count is reinstated, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Queens County, for further proceedings on the indictment.

Upon a review of the Grand Jury minutes, we find that the People presented legally sufficient evidence to charge the defendant with attempted murder in the second degree (see, CPL 190.65; 210.20 [1] [b]; Penal Law § 110.00, 125.25 Penal). At the accusatory stage, only prima facie evidence need be adduced, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt (see, People v. Mayo, 36 N.Y.2d 1002, 1004; People v. McCarter, 97 A.D.2d 852; People v. Porter, 75 A.D.2d 901).

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the People and considering the inferences that could reasonably be drawn therefrom (see, People v. Warner-Lambert Co., 51 N.Y.2d 295, cert denied 450 U.S. 1031), the Grand Jury could have concluded that the defendant intended to cause the complainant's death by turning the van in his direction, striking him and then driving over the area where he had fallen to the ground. Only the complainant's quick action prevented his being run over by the van driven by the defendant. Bracken, J.P., Kunzeman, Kooper and Spatt, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. DeWitt

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 4, 1987
130 A.D.2d 504 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)
Case details for

People v. DeWitt

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Appellant, v. CLARENCE DeWITT…

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

Date published: May 4, 1987

Citations

130 A.D.2d 504 (N.Y. App. Div. 1987)

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