Opinion
July 16, 1993
Appeal from the Ontario County Court, Henry, Jr., J.
Present — Callahan, J.P., Green, Lawton, Fallon and Boehm, JJ.
Judgment unanimously reversed on the law and new trial granted. Memorandum: In charging the jury on reasonable doubt, the court informed the jury, inter alia, that "[i]t is a doubt which leaves your mind in such a state of suspense that you are unable to say that you are convinced, to a moral certainty, of defendant's guilt". The error in the charge deprived defendant of his Fifth Amendment right to a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt that cannot be excused under the harmless error rule (see, Sullivan v. Louisiana, 508 US ___, 124 L Ed 2d 182; Cage v. Louisiana, 498 U.S. 39).
We have examined defendant's other contentions and find them to be without merit.