From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

People v. Sylvester

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Oct 2, 1998
254 A.D.2d 711 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

October 2, 1998

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Erie County, Rossetti, J. — Dismiss Indictment.

Present — Denman, P. J., Green, Pigott, Jr., Callahan and Boehm, JJ.


Order unanimously reversed on the law, motion denied, indictment reinstated and matter remitted to Supreme Court for further proceedings on the indictment. Memorandum: Supreme Court erred in granting defendant's motion to dismiss the indictment on the ground that the evidence before the Grand Jury was legally insufficient to support the charges of assault in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.05). On a motion to dismiss an indictment under CPL 210.20 (1) (b), the sufficiency of the People's presentation "is properly determined by inquiring whether the evidence[,] viewed in the light most favorable to the People, if unexplained and uncontradicted, would warrant conviction by a petit jury" ( People v. Jennings, 69 N.Y.2d 103, 114; see, People v. Jensen, 86 N.Y.2d 248, 251; People v. Galatro, 84 N.Y.2d 160, 163-164). "The People are required to make out a prima facie case that the accused committed the crime charged by presenting legally sufficient evidence establishing all of the elements of the crime" ( People v. Galatro, supra, at 164; see, People v. Jennings, supra, at 115). "Legally sufficient" evidence is defined as "competent evidence which, if accepted as true, would establish every element of an offense charged and the defendant's commission thereof" (CPL 70.10; see, People v. Jensen, supra, at 252; People v. Swamp, 84 N.Y.2d 725, 730). "In the context of the Grand Jury procedure, legally sufficient means prima facie, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt" ( People v. Mayo, 36 N.Y.2d 1002, 1004; see, People v. Jensen, supra, at 252). Thus, "[e]vidence that is legally sufficient to establish a prima facie case in the Grand Jury may nevertheless be inadequate to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial" ( People v. Gordon, 88 N.Y.2d 92, 96; see, People v. Sabella, 35 N.Y.2d 158, 167).

Penal Law § 120.05 (3) provides that a person is guilty of assault in the second degree when, "[w]ith intent to prevent a * * * police officer * * * from performing a lawful duty, he causes physical injury to such * * * police officer". "Physical injury" is defined as "impairment of physical condition or substantial pain" (Penal Law § 10.00). When viewed in the light most favorable to the People, the evidence of the subjective pain felt by each of the officers upon being struck by defendant with a wooden stick-type bat or club, the swelling induced by the injury, and the length of time that the pain and swelling continued is sufficient at this stage to establish physical injury within the meaning of the assault in the second degree charge ( see, People v. Richards, 128 A.D.2d 387, 388, lv denied 70 N.Y.2d 654; see also, People v. Jackson, 232 A.D.2d 193, 194, lv denied 89 N.Y.2d 924; People v. Kim, 225 A.D.2d 496, lv denied 88 N.Y.2d 987; People v. Mallard, 207 A.D.2d 1018, lv denied 84 N.Y.2d 1013).


Summaries of

People v. Sylvester

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Oct 2, 1998
254 A.D.2d 711 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Sylvester

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Appellant, v. DWAYNE A. SYLVESTER…

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

Date published: Oct 2, 1998

Citations

254 A.D.2d 711 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
677 N.Y.S.2d 865

Citing Cases

People v. Wiggins

Contrary to defendant's contention, the conviction of assault in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.05) is…

People v. Wiggins

Memorandum: Contrary to defendant's contention, the conviction of assault in the second degree (Penal Law §…