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People v. Whitfield

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Jul 12, 1989
152 A.D.2d 998 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)

Opinion

July 12, 1989

Appeal from the Ontario County Court, Reed, J.

Present — Denman, J.P., Boomer, Green, Lawton and Davis, JJ.


Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: Viewing the proof in the light most favorable to the People (People v Malizia, 62 N.Y.2d 755, 757, cert denied 469 U.S. 932), we conclude that the evidence was legally sufficient to support the jury's determination that defendant was guilty of burglary in the third degree. Defendant's intent to commit a crime within the building can be inferred from the circumstances of the entry (see, People v Mackey, 49 N.Y.2d 274, 280; People v Woodard, 148 A.D.2d 997; People v Privott, 133 A.D.2d 528, lv denied 70 N.Y.2d 936) as well as the property damage discovered within the building (see, People v Lowman, 137 A.D.2d 622).

The trial court correctly permitted the prosecutor to impeach Jesse Smallwood by the use of his prior written statement because Smallwood's trial testimony upon a material issue of this case, namely, the intent to commit a crime within the building, tended "to disprove the position" of the People (CPL 60.35). Moreover, the trial court immediately gave limiting instructions to the jury that the prior contradictory statement was received only for the purpose of impeaching Smallwood's credibility, not as evidence-in-chief (CPL 60.35).

Defendant's challenge to the entire jury panel was not in writing and is not preserved for our review (CPL 270.10; see, People v Prim, 40 N.Y.2d 946, 947; People v Smith, 148 A.D.2d 929). In any event, defendant failed to meet his initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of the systematic exclusion of blacks from the jury panel (see, People v Guzman, 60 N.Y.2d 403, 409, cert denied 466 U.S. 951).

Defendant failed to object and thus did not preserve for our review the issue of whether a portion of the trial court's charge impermissibly shifted the People's burden of proof (CPL 470.05; People v Thomas, 50 N.Y.2d 467) and we decline to reach it in the interest of justice (CPL 470.15).


Summaries of

People v. Whitfield

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Jul 12, 1989
152 A.D.2d 998 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
Case details for

People v. Whitfield

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. FLOYD WHITFIELD…

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

Date published: Jul 12, 1989

Citations

152 A.D.2d 998 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
543 N.Y.S.2d 805

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