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People v. Hedge

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 4, 1990
162 A.D.2d 467 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)

Opinion

June 4, 1990

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Slavin, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is reversed, on the law, and a new trial is ordered. The facts have been considered and are determined to have been established.

The Trial Justice committed reversible error by submitting to the jury, over defense counsel's objection, a verdict sheet containing not only the crimes charged and the possible verdicts thereon (see, CPL 310.20), but also the elements of those charges and parenthetical statements with regard to each charge (see, People v. Nimmons, 72 N.Y.2d 830; People v. Owens, 69 N.Y.2d 585; People v. Crosby, 150 A.D.2d 478).

The Trial Justice also committed error by failing to include in its charge on the so-called "drug factory" presumption the statutory language of Penal Law § 220.25 (2) relating to one of the elements necessary to trigger the presumption. The court failed to include the element pertaining to the "intent to unlawfully mix, compound, package or otherwise prepare for sale" the narcotics (Penal Law § 220.25). As such, the charge was defective and a new trial is warranted.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15).

In light of our determination, we do not reach the defendant's remaining contentions. Mangano, P.J., Lawrence, Balletta and O'Brien, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Hedge

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 4, 1990
162 A.D.2d 467 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)
Case details for

People v. Hedge

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. BASIL HEDGE, Appellant

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

Date published: Jun 4, 1990

Citations

162 A.D.2d 467 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990)
556 N.Y.S.2d 164

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