United States Ex Rel. Nersesian v. Smith

S.D. New York

United States Ex Rel. Nersesian v. Smith

418 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15380

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York

DecidedApril 27, 1976

Docket75 Civ. 3399

StatusPublished

Cited by3 cases

This text of 418 F. Supp. 26 (United States Ex Rel. Nersesian v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

United States Ex Rel. Nersesian v. Smith, 418 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15380 (S.D.N.Y. 1976).

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Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

MOTLEY, District Judge.

In this action, Walter Nersesian seeks a federal writ of habeas corpus. Petitioner is presently incarcerated at the Attica Correctional Facility pursuant to a judgment of conviction rendered after a trial by jury in the Supreme Court, New York County (Birns, J.), convicting him of grand larceny in the third degree and robbery in the second degree. Petitioner was sentenced on March 24,1974 to serve concurrent terms of imprisonment of from three to nine years on the robbery conviction and from zero to four years on the grand larceny conviction. On November 19, 1974, the Appellate Division, First Department, reversed and dismissed the grand larceny conviction, but unanimously affirmed the conviction of second degree robbery. People v. Nersesian, 46 A.D.2d 761, 361 N.Y.S.2d 13 (1974). Leave to appeal to the New York Court of Appeals was denied on January 29, 1975. *27 Petitioner attacks his conviction on the sole ground that the evidence adduced at his trial was legally insufficient to establish his guilt of second degree robbery. Specifically, he argues that the uncorroborated testimony of an intoxicated victim is not sufficient evidence to establish his guilt of robbery, by showing a “forcible stealing”, as required by § 160.10 of the New York Penal Law.

The question of the sufficiency of the evidence is a question of state law and does not rise to constitutional dimensions, United States ex rel. Griffin v. Martin, 409 F.2d 1300, 1302 (2d Cir. 1969) (per curiam), unless there was no proof whatever of the crime charged. United States ex rel. Terry v. Henderson, 462 F.2d 1125, 1131 (2d Cir. 1972). Since petitioner’s claim only goes to the sufficiency of the evidence, rather than the total lack thereof, he fails to state a claim warranting federal habeas corpus relief.

Petition denied.

SO ORDERED.

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MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

MOTLEY, District Judge.

In this action, Walter Nersesian seeks a federal writ of habeas corpus. Petitioner is presently incarcerated at the Attica Correctional Facility pursuant to a judgment of conviction rendered after a trial by jury in the Supreme Court, New York County (Birns, J.), convicting him of grand larceny in the third degree and robbery in the second degree. Petitioner was sentenced on March 24,1974 to serve concurrent terms of imprisonment of from three to nine years on the robbery conviction and from zero to four years on the grand larceny conviction. On November 19, 1974, the Appellate Division, First Department, reversed and dismissed the grand larceny conviction, but unanimously affirmed the conviction of second degree robbery. People v. Nersesian, 46 A.D.2d 761, 361 N.Y.S.2d 13 (1974). Leave to appeal to the New York Court of Appeals was denied on January 29, 1975. *27 Petitioner attacks his conviction on the sole ground that the evidence adduced at his trial was legally insufficient to establish his guilt of second degree robbery. Specifically, he argues that the uncorroborated testimony of an intoxicated victim is not sufficient evidence to establish his guilt of robbery, by showing a “forcible stealing”, as required by § 160.10 of the New York Penal Law.

The question of the sufficiency of the evidence is a question of state law and does not rise to constitutional dimensions, United States ex rel. Griffin v. Martin, 409 F.2d 1300, 1302 (2d Cir. 1969) (per curiam), unless there was no proof whatever of the crime charged. United States ex rel. Terry v. Henderson, 462 F.2d 1125, 1131 (2d Cir. 1972). Since petitioner’s claim only goes to the sufficiency of the evidence, rather than the total lack thereof, he fails to state a claim warranting federal habeas corpus relief.

Petition denied.

SO ORDERED.

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Bluebook (online)

418 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15380, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-ex-rel-nersesian-v-smith-nysd-1976.

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