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People v. Johnson

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 17, 1991
174 A.D.2d 695 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

Opinion

June 17, 1991

Appeal from the County Court, Nassau County (Ain, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant argues that the People failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the elements of robbery in the first degree set forth in count one of the indictment, to wit, that he "displayed a pistol, revolver and other firearm" (emphasis added). Although he concedes that Penal Law § 160.15 (4) requires possession of only one of the above weapons, he maintains that the People were bound by language of the indictment. However, since the defendant failed to raise this claim at the time he moved to dismiss the indictment and asserts it for the first time in this court, he has failed to preserve it for appellate review (see, CPL 470.05; People v Gomez, 67 N.Y.2d 843, 844-845; People v Davis, 172 A.D.2d 553; People v Udzinski, 146 A.D.2d 245, 258). In any event, Penal Law § 160.15 (4) requires only that the defendant possess any one of the aforementioned weapons. Although the indictment did not contain the precise language of the statute, the court properly instructed the jury with respect to the elements of robbery in the first degree as defined in Penal Law § 160.15 (4).

The defendant also failed to preserve for appellate review his claim that the trial court erred by allowing a police officer to testify, without first being qualified as an expert in controlled substance analysis, that a substance possessed by the defendant was cocaine (see, CPL 470.05; People v Rukaj, 158 A.D.2d 487).

We have considered the defendant's remaining contention, raised in his supplemental pro se brief, and find it to be without merit (see, People v Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 151; People v Sullivan, 153 A.D.2d 223, 227-229). Bracken, J.P., Eiber, Harwood and Balletta, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Johnson

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jun 17, 1991
174 A.D.2d 695 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
Case details for

People v. Johnson

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. WAVERLY JOHNSON…

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

Date published: Jun 17, 1991

Citations

174 A.D.2d 695 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

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