People v. Shelter
This text of 288 A.D.2d 929 (People v. Shelter) 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.
Opinion
—Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: County Court properly exercised its discretion in admitting a statement of an off-duty police officer pursuant to the excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule. The statement was made contemporaneously with a startling event, i.e., within minutes of the officer’s hav[930]*930ing observed a burning vehicle and two men leaving the scene (see, Prince, Richardson on Evidence § 8-604 [Farrell 11th ed]; see also, People v Cotto, 92 NY2d 68, 78-79; People v Edwards, 47 NY2d 493, 497).
Contrary to defendant’s contention, the court properly refused to give an expanded identification charge. No witness identified defendant as the perpetrator of the arson; rather, defendant’s identity as the perpetrator was based upon circumstantial evidence. Thus, there was no issue concerning the evaluation of identification testimony and no basis for an expanded identification charge (see, People v Figueroa, 172 AD2d 387, lv denied 78 NY2d 922). The conviction is supported by legally sufficient evidence and the verdict is not against the weight of the evidence (see, People v Bleakley, 69 NY2d 490, 495). (Appeal from Judgment of Monroe County Court, Marks, J. — Arson, 3rd Degree.) Present — Pigott, Jr., P. J., Wisner, Scudder, Burns and Gorski, JJ.
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack
288 A.D.2d 929, 732 N.Y.S.2d 192, 2001 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 10716, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-shelter-nyappdiv-2001.