THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK RESPONDENT v. CLAY RHODES JR DEFENDANT APPELLANT (2023)

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.

Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him upon his plea of guilty of robbery in the second degree (Penal Law § 160.10 [2] [a]) and assault in the second degree (§ 120.05 [12]). We agree with defendant that his waiver of the right to appeal was invalid because Supreme Court's “oral colloquy mischaracterized it as an absolute bar to the taking of an appeal” (People v McCrayer, 199 AD3d 1401, 1401 [4th Dept 2021]; see People v Thomas, 34 NY3d 545, 565 [2019], cert denied — US —, 140 S Ct 2634 [2020]). Although the record establishes that defendant executed a written waiver of the right to appeal, the written waiver does not cure the deficient oral colloquy because the court did not inquire of defendant whether he understood the written waiver or whether he had read the waiver before signing it (see People v Sanford, 138 AD3d 1435, 1436 [4th Dept 2016]). We nevertheless reject defendant's contention that the sentence is unduly harsh and severe.

Entered: June 30, 2023

Ann Dillon Flynn

Clerk of the Court