PEOPLE v. MOISE (2018)

Judgments, Supreme Court, New York County (Anthony J. Ferrara, J. at suppression hearing;  Maxwell Wiley, J. at trial, plea and sentencing), rendered June 9, 2016, convicting defendant, after a jury trial, of robbery in the second degree, and, upon his plea of guilty, of burglary in the third degree, and sentencing him, as a second felony offender, to an aggregate term of eight years, unanimously affirmed.

The court properly denied defendant's suppression motion.  Although the description of defendant was general, and he had been described as riding a bicycle, but was no longer doing so when the police observed him, the police had reasonable suspicion for the stop based on a combination of factors (see e. g. People v. Cook, 161 A.D.3d 708, 78 N.Y.S.3d 314 [1st Dept. 2018];  People v. Williams, 146 A.D.3d 410, 411, 46 N.Y.S.3d 9 [1st Dept. 2017], lv denied 29 N.Y.3d 954, 54 N.Y.S.3d 384, 76 N.E.3d 1087 [2017];  People v. Brujan, 104 A.D.3d 481, 960 N.Y.S.2d 421 [1st Dept. 2013], lv denied 21 N.Y.3d 1014, 971 N.Y.S.2d 496, 994 N.E.2d 392 [2013] ).  The police encountered defendant in very close spatial and temporal proximity to the crime, and he behaved suspiciously by first running in apparent flight, then suddenly entering and standing idly in a store, and then walking out and taking off a shirt that figured in the description of the suspect.  Even if the officer's taking of the shirt from defendant's hand amounted to an improper seizure, this would be harmless, because the stop was legal and the victim independently identified defendant during the showup.

The verdict was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 348–349, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1 [2007] ).  There is no basis for disturbing the jury's credibility determinations.  The physical injury element of the robbery conviction was established by evidence that amply supported the conclusion that the victim's injury resulted in substantial pain (see generally People v. Chiddick, 8 N.Y.3d 445, 447–448, 834 N.Y.S.2d 710, 866 N.E.2d 1039 [2007];  People v. Guidice, 83 N.Y.2d 630, 636, 612 N.Y.S.2d 350, 634 N.E.2d 951 [1994] ).

Although otherwise admissible, a reference to a purported hospital diagnosis of a concussion, contained in the record of a pain and wellness center that treated the victim, should have been redacted on the ground that the treating hospital had made no such diagnosis.  Nevertheless, any error was harmless (see People v. Crimmins, 36 N.Y.2d 230, 367 N.Y.S.2d 213, 326 N.E.2d 787 [1975] ).  The People made no claim that the element of physical injury was supported in any way by proof of a concussion, instead relying on overwhelming proof of substantial pain.  There was no significant probability that the verdict would have been different had the redaction been made.

In light of the foregoing, there is no basis for reversal of the plea conviction.

We perceive no basis for reducing the sentence.