People v. Fox

17 Misc. 3d 281
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 2, 2007
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 17 Misc. 3d 281 (People v. Fox) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Fox, 17 Misc. 3d 281 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Jill Konviser, J.

The defendants are charged in a single indictment with acting in concert to commit the following crimes: murder in the second degree as a hate crime, murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the second degree as a hate crime, manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the first degree as a hate crime, assault in the first degree, attempted robbery in the first degree as a hate crime, attempted robbery in the first degree, attempted robbery in the second degree as a hate crime, and attempted robbery in the second degree.

The defendants have jointly filed a motion to dismiss all of the hate crimes charges contained in the indictment on two grounds: (1) that their conduct does not fall within the scope of the hate crimes statute as they acted without bias, prejudice or hatred toward the decedent, and (2) that the hate crimes statute, as applied to the facts of this case, is unconstitutionally vague. The People oppose the defendants’ motion. Oral argument was held on June 19, 2007. For the reasons that follow, the motion to dismiss the hate crimes charges in the indictment is denied.1

[283]*283A. Background

1. The Hate Crimes Statute

Penal Law § 485.05 (1) (a) provides:

“A person commits a hate crime when he or she commits a specified offense[2] and . . . intentionally selects the person against whom the offense is committed or intended to be committed in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct.”

In addition, Penal Law § 485.05 (2) provides:

“Proof of race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of the defendant, the victim or of both the defendant and the victim does not, by itself, constitute legally sufficient evidence satisfying the people’s burden under paragraph (a) or (b) of subdivision one of this section.”

2, The People’s Evidence

The People maintain that the defendants, under an acting in concert theory, intentionally selected the decedent, Michael Sandy, as the person against whom the specified offenses were committed “in whole or in substantial part because of a belief [284]*284or perception regarding” his sexual orientation. (See Penal Law § 485.05 [1] [a].) Specifically, the People allege, and the evidence before the grand jury shows, that on the evening of October 8, 2006, in Kings County, defendant Fortunato told defendant Fox and one Gary Timmins, in sum and substance, “that in the past, he had contacted gay men by means of a computer” and robbed them. (People’s affirmation in opposition to motion to dismiss hate crime counts at 2 11 3.) Fortunato allegedly also told Fox and Timmins in sum and substance that “this was an easy way to rob someone.” (Id.)

The People also maintain that on that same evening, while at Fortunato’s house, Fortunato, in the presence of Fox and Timmins, used a computer to enter a “gay chat room” where he contacted Sandy “whom they all believed to be a gay man, and arranged to meet him.” (Id.) Later that evening, while Fortunato, Fox and Timmins were on their way to meet Sandy they met defendant Shurov and told him, in sum and substance, “of their plans to rob a gay man.” (Id. at 2 ¶ 4.) The four men then walked together to the meeting area where Sandy was waiting in his car. Fox and Fortunato approached Sandy’s car, but Sandy, in sum and substance, “expressed discomfort about meeting them under those circumstances and drove away.” (Id.)

Fortunato, Fox, Shurov and Timmins then went back to Fortunato’s house where they resumed computer contact with Sandy. After speaking with Sandy about drugs and informing him, in sum and substance, that he “would get his dick sucked,” arrangements were made for Sandy to meet Fox at a particular location where they would then drive together to Plum Beach. (Id. at 2 11 5.) Unbeknownst to Sandy, however, Fortunato, Shurov and Timmins would also be there. (Id. at 2-3 ¶ 5.)

The evidence shows that Fox and Sandy met and drove together in Sandy’s car to Plum Beach. At some point after arriving at that location, Sandy was confronted by the defendants and punched. As Sandy attempted to reenter his car and flee the area, Shurov pulled him out and again punched him. Sandy then fled on foot only to be chased onto the Belt Parkway where he was hit by a car. Sandy later died as a result of his injuries. (Id. at 3 ¶ 6.)

3. Rulings on the Legal Sufficiency of the Grand Jury Minutes

On March 14, 2007, this court issued decisions and orders with respect to each defendant upholding the legal sufficiency of all of the charges before the grand jury, including the hate crimes charges. In upholding the legal sufficiency of the hate [285]*285crimes charges, this court found, inter alia, that the crimes alleged in counts one, three, five, seven and nine of the indictment are “specified offense[s]” as that term is defined by the hate crimes statute (Penal Law § 485.05 [3]). Further, this court found, pursuant to Penal Law § 485.05 (1) (a), that legally sufficient evidence was presented to the grand jury to show that each defendant, while acting in concert with others, intentionally selected the person against whom the offenses were allegedly committed (Sandy) “in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding” his “sexual orientation.” (See decisions of Mar. 14, 2007 upholding the legal sufficiency of the grand jury minutes.)

B. The Defendants’ Claims

1. The Defendants’ Claim That Their Conduct Does Not Fall within the Scope of the Hate Crimes Statute3

The defendants’ claim that their conduct does not fall within the scope of the hate crimes statute is rejected. A person commits a hate crime when he or she commits a specified offense and intentionally selects the person against whom the offense is committed or intended to be committed in whole, or in substantial part, based on a belief or perception regarding the person’s “race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation.” (Penal Law § 485.05 [1] [a].) In this case, the grand jury evidence shows that the defendants devised a plan to lure a gay man to a particular location in order to rob him, as Fortunato told Fox and Timmins he had done in the past. The evidence further shows that the defendants followed through on this plan by: (1) using the Internet to enter a gay chat room; (2) engaging in conversations in that gay chat room with Sandy, whom they believed to be a gay man; (3) luring Sandy to a remote location with false promises of sexual favors; and (4) attempting to rob Sandy upon his arrival.

The grand jury evidence shows that this is not a case where hate crimes are charged simply because the victim just happened to be of a particular sexual orientation. (See Penal Law § 485.05 [2].) Rather, this is a case where the defendants deliberately set out to commit a violent crime against a man [286]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
17 Misc. 3d 281, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-fox-nysupct-2007.