Opinion
32 KA 18-01099
02-04-2022
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Stephen FRANCOIS, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.
LELAND D. MCCORMAC, III, INTERIM PUBLIC DEFENDER, UTICA (PATRICK J. MARTHAGE OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. SCOTT D. MCNAMARA, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UTICA (STEVEN G. COX OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.
LELAND D. MCCORMAC, III, INTERIM PUBLIC DEFENDER, UTICA (PATRICK J. MARTHAGE OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
SCOTT D. MCNAMARA, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UTICA (STEVEN G. COX OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.
PRESENT: CENTRA, J.P., NEMOYER, CURRAN, AND BANNISTER, JJ.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.
Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him, upon his plea of guilty, of attempted murder in the second degree ( Penal Law §§ 110.00, 125.25 [1] ). Defendant's challenges to the voluntariness of his guilty plea are without merit (see People v. Ashley , 71 A.D.3d 1286, 1287, 896 N.Y.S.2d 520 [3d Dept. 2010], affd 16 N.Y.3d 725, 917 N.Y.S.2d 91, 942 N.E.2d 300 [2011] ; People v. Miller , 126 A.D.3d 1233, 1234-1235, 6 N.Y.S.3d 685 [3d Dept. 2015], lv denied 25 N.Y.3d 1168, 15 N.Y.S.3d 299, 36 N.E.3d 102 [2015] ; People v. Davis , 37 A.D.3d 1179, 1180, 829 N.Y.S.2d 791 [4th Dept. 2007], lv denied 8 N.Y.3d 983, 838 N.Y.S.2d 487, 869 N.E.2d 663 [2007] ). Moreover, although the People correctly concede that defendant did not validly waive his right to appeal (see People v. Thomas , 34 N.Y.3d 545, 565-566, 122 N.Y.S.3d 226, 144 N.E.3d 970 [2019], cert denied ––– U.S. ––––, 140 S. Ct. 2634, 206 L.Ed.2d 512 [2020] ), we conclude that the sentence is not unduly harsh or severe.