Opinion
No. 570692/11.
12-13-2016
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Marvin PRIDGEN, Defendant–Appellant.
Judgment of conviction (Anthony J. Ferrara, J.), rendered February 8, 2011, affirmed.
The court properly denied defendant's challenge for cause to a prospective juror whose initial responses suggested a predisposition to believe police witnesses. Upon the court's inquiry, the prospective juror stated that he could follow the court's instructions to evaluate police testimony like other testimony, and be fair and impartial (see People v. Chambers, 97 N.Y.2d 417 [2002] ; People v. Arnold, 96 N.Y.2d 358, 363 [2001] ; People v. Dunkley, 61 AD3d 428 [2009], lv denied 12 NY3d 914 [2009] ). Given the totality of the prospective juror's responses, his assurances were not rendered equivocal by his use of the phrase "I think" (see People v. Chambers, 97 N.Y.2d at 419 [2002] ; People v. Jacobs, 108 AD3d 411 [2013], lv denied 22 NY3d 1139 [2014] ; People v. Crawford, 65 AD3d 694, 694 [2009], lv denied 13 NY3d 906 [2009] ).
THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE COURT
I concur.