People v. Alvira

209 A.D.2d 628, 619 N.Y.S.2d 126
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedNovember 21, 1994
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 209 A.D.2d 628 (People v. Alvira) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Alvira, 209 A.D.2d 628, 619 N.Y.S.2d 126 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

—Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Quinones, J.), rendered December 20, 1991, convicting him of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

A police officer observed the defendant selling crack cocaine to a buyer. The officer radioed his partner, who arrested the buyer minutes after the purchase. Shortly thereafter, the defendant was arrested. The buyer had two gold-capped vials on his person, which were similar to 11 gold-capped vials the defendant had thrown away shortly before he was arrested. During the cross-examination of the officer who arrested both the buyer and the defendant, the defendant’s counsel inquired into the different vials used in the neighborhood. The court limited this inquiry, and the defendant contends that this was error. Contrary to the defendant’s contention, the court has broad discretion in limiting the scope of cross-examination on issues that are collateral to the main issue in the case (see, People v McGriff, 201 AD2d 672, 673).

The defendant claims that his sentence is unduly harsh. He contends, inter alia, that because he tested positive for the HIV virus, his sentence should be reduced. However, it is well settled that affliction with the HIV virus is not, in and of itself, a ground for reducing an otherwise appropriate sentence (see, People v King, 184 AD2d 782). In light of the defendant’s extensive criminal record, the sentence should not be disturbed (see, People v Suitte, 90 AD2d 80).

We have considered the defendant’s remaining contentions and find them to be without merit. Bracken, J. P., Lawrence, Friedmann and Goldstein, JJ., concur.

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Related

People v. Sassenscheid
2017 NY Slip Op 1572 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2017)
People v. Salmons
210 A.D.2d 512 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 A.D.2d 628, 619 N.Y.S.2d 126, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-alvira-nyappdiv-1994.