From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Morales

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 30, 1998
248 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

March 30, 1998

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


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

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. Contrary to the defendant's contention, the testimony to the effect that many of his personal effects were found in the apartment where the search warrant was executed and that he possessed keys to the premises were sufficient to demonstrate that he occupied the apartment, and was in constructive possession of the cocaine and drug paraphernalia recovered by the police ( see, People v. Robertson, 48 N.Y.2d 993; People v. Diaz, 220 A.D.2d 260; People v. Davis, 206 A.D.2d 833; People v. Mejie, 186 A.D.2d 155). Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (CPL 470.15).

Furthermore, the hearing court did not err in denying the defendant's motion to suppress evidence that he opened a locked safe found in the apartment during the execution of the search warrant. Although the defendant asserts that this evidence should have been excluded because he was not notified of the People's intention to introduce it at trial pursuant to CPL 710.30, the statutory notice requirement applies only to "evidence of a statement made by a defendant". The defendant's conduct in opening the safe was not a statement intended to communicate any information, and therefore no CPL 710.30 notice was required ( see, People v. Peters, 43 A.D.2d 599).

The sentence imposed was not excessive ( see, People v. Delgado, 80 N.Y.2d 780; People v. Suitte, 90 A.D.2d 80).

The defendant's remaining contentions are either unpreserved for appellate review or without merit.

Joy, J. P., Krausman, Florio and Luciano, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Morales

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 30, 1998
248 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Morales

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JOSE MORALES, Appellant

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

Date published: Mar 30, 1998

Citations

248 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
670 N.Y.S.2d 591

Citing Cases

Morales v. Strack

Each of the claims raised in the instant petition was raised on direct appeal. Each was either rejected on…

People v. Williams

Thus, an appellate court of this State has recognized that CPL § 710.30 notice is not required for a…