From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Harrell

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Oct 11, 1994
208 A.D.2d 647 (N.Y. App. Div. 1994)

Opinion

October 11, 1994

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


Ordered that the judgment and order are affirmed.

The defendant's conviction stems from a series of narcotics sales to an undercover police officer which took place in the defendant's home. The Supreme Court properly denied suppression of the undercover officer's in-court identification of the defendant. Although the officer was shown two isolated photographs of the defendant, the viewing of the photographs was confirmatory in nature and conducted as part of an ongoing police investigation, enabling the investigating police team to ascertain with whom they were dealing (see, People v. Kearn, 118 A.D.2d 871; People v. Waring, 183 A.D.2d 271, 273-274). In any event, given the quantity and quality of the undercover officer's observations of the defendant, he clearly had an independent source upon which to base his in-court identification (see, People v. Waring, supra, at 275).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, the court did not err in allowing into evidence the scale and vials which were seized in the defendant's home at the time of his arrest. In executing an arrest warrant, police officers are permitted to conduct protective sweeps in order to ensure their safety and any evidence discovered in plain view may be seized (see generally, People v. Knapp, 52 N.Y.2d 689; Maryland v. Buie, 494 U.S. 325, 333).

We further reject the defendant's contention that the trial court erroneously denied his motion for an expanded identification charge. Since the defendant's guilt hinged upon the credibility of the People's witness, and not upon the nature and quality of his observations, the defendant was not entitled to an expanded identification charge (see, People v. Whalen, 59 N.Y.2d 273; People v. Blake, 124 A.D.2d 666, 667).

The defendant's remaining contentions, including those raised in his supplemental pro se brief, are either unpreserved for appellate review (see, People v. Udzinski, 146 A.D.2d 245, 250; CPL 470.05), or without merit (see, People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620; CPL 470.15). Lawrence, J.P., Pizzuto, Friedmann and Krausman, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Harrell

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Oct 11, 1994
208 A.D.2d 647 (N.Y. App. Div. 1994)
Case details for

People v. Harrell

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JOHN HARRELL, Also…

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

Date published: Oct 11, 1994

Citations

208 A.D.2d 647 (N.Y. App. Div. 1994)
617 N.Y.S.2d 776

Citing Cases

People v. Tiray M. Paige

Finding the door locked, the troopers then kicked it open, entered the apartment and placed defendant — who…

People v. Quinones

We also find that the trial court's denial of the defendant's request for an identification charge was…