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People v. Jemmott

132 A.D.3d 697 Court N.Y. App. Div. Decision date 2015-10-07 English

Judges Leventhal, J.P., Chambers, Austin and Miller, JJ., concur.

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p. 697
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Robert Jemmott, Appellant.
[17 NYS3d 310]

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Richmond County (Rooney, J.), rendered March 8, 2011, convicting him of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v Contes, 60 NY2d 620 [1983]), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, in fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15 [5]; People v Danielson, 9 NY3d 342 [2007]), we nevertheless accord great deference to the jury’s opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor (see People v Mateo, 2 NY3d 383 [2004]; People v Bleakley, 69 NY2d 490 , 495 [1987]). Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v Romero, 7 NY3d 633 [2006]).

p. 698
The defendant’s claim that he was deprived of his constitutional right to the effective assistance of counsel is based, in part, on matter appearing on the record and, in part, on matter outside the record and, thus, constitutes a “mixed claim of ineffective assistance” (People v Maxwell, 89 AD3d 1108 , 1109 [2011]). In this case, it is not evident from the matter appearing on the record that the defendant was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel (People v McBride, 103 AD3d 920 , 921 [2013]; People v Ropiza, 100 AD3d 935 , 936 [2012]). Since the defendant’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel cannot be resolved without reference to matter outside the record, a CPL 440.10 proceeding is the appropriate forum for reviewing the claim in its entirety (see People v Freeman, 93 AD3d 805 [2012]; People v Maxwell, 89 AD3d at 1109 ; People v Rohlehr, 87 AD3d 603 , 604 [2011]).

The defendant’s remaining contention regarding the grand jury proceeding, raised in his pro se supplemental brief, is without merit.

Leventhal, J.P., Chambers, Austin and Miller, JJ., concur.

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