Opinion
No. 614 KA 21-00695
09-29-2023
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, RESPONDENT, v. GAMEL WILLIAMS, DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. (APPEAL NO. 1.)
THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (ROBERT L. KEMP OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. JOHN J. FLYNN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BUFFALO (MICHAEL J. HILLERY OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.
THE LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO, INC., BUFFALO (ROBERT L. KEMP OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
JOHN J. FLYNN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BUFFALO (MICHAEL J. HILLERY OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.
PRESENT: LINDLEY, J.P., CURRAN, MONTOUR, GREENWOOD, AND DELCONTE, JJ.
Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Erie County (Russell P. Buscaglia, A.J.), rendered May 8, 2019. The judgment convicted defendant, upon his plea of guilty, of burglary in the second degree.
It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.
Memorandum: Defendant appeals from four judgments convicting him, upon his pleas of guilty, of various crimes. In appeal No. 1, defendant was convicted of burglary in the second degree (Penal Law § 140.25 [2]). In appeal No. 2, defendant was convicted of attempted burglary in the third degree (§§ 110.00, 140.20), petit larceny (§ 155.25), and two counts of attempted burglary in the second degree (§§ 110.00, 140.25 [2]). In appeal No. 3, defendant was convicted of four counts of attempted burglary in the second degree (§§ 110.00, 140.25 [2]). In appeal No. 4, defendant was convicted of two counts of attempted burglary in the second degree (§§ 110.00, 140.25 [2]). We affirm in each appeal.
As defendant contends and the People correctly concede in each appeal, defendant did not validly waive his right to appeal (see People v Thomas, 34 N.Y.3d 545, 565-566 [2019], cert denied - U.S. -, 140 S.Ct. 2634 [2020]; People v Cole, 201 A.D.3d 1360, 1360-1361 [4th Dept 2022]; People v Porterfield, 192 A.D.3d 1662, 1662 [4th Dept 2021], lv denied 37 N.Y.3d 959 [2021]). Nevertheless, we conclude that the sentence in each appeal is not unduly harsh or severe.