Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
IN RE: FELIX D. (Anonymous), appellant.
In a juvenile delinquency proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 3, the appeal is from an order of disposition of the Family Court, Kings County (Pearl, J.), dated June 27, 2005, which, upon a fact-finding order of the same court dated February 18, 2005, made after a hearing, finding that the appellant committed acts which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted the crime of attempted assault in the third degree, adjudged him to be a juvenile delinquent and placed him on probation for a period of 24 months. The appeal brings up for review the fact-finding order dated February 18, 2005.
ORDERED that the order of disposition is affirmed, without costs or disbursements.
The Family Court properly denied that branch of the appellant's omnibus motion which was for a pretrial Wade hearing (see United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149). The presentment agency opposed the motion, contending that the identification procedure was not “police-arranged” since the appellant was identified by the complainant after viewing photographs on the school's computer, which were shown to her by a school dean in the dean's office. The appellant's motion papers essentially alleged only, in conclusory fashion, that the identification procedure conducted by the school dean was influenced and directed by the police to such an extent as to make the procedure unduly suggestive. The court correctly concluded that the appellant's allegations were insufficient to warrant a Wade hearing because the complainant's pretrial identification of the appellant from a photograph on a computer in the dean's office was not a police-arranged procedure (see Matter of Gilbert C., 15 A.D.3d 172, 788 N.Y.S.2d 603; Matter of Gabriel A., 12 A.D.3d 666, 667, 785 N.Y.S.2d 512; Matter of William J., 203 A.D.2d 144, 610 N.Y.S.2d 234). The appellant's attempt to use the trial testimony to challenge the pretrial suppression ruling is impermissible (see e.g. People v. Esquiled, 297 A.D.2d 687, 747 N.Y.S.2d 188; People v. Andujar, 267 A.D.2d 467, 468, 700 N.Y.S.2d 480).
Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the presentment agency (see Matter of David H., 69 N.Y.2d 792, 513 N.Y.S.2d 111, 505 N.E.2d 621), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish that the appellant committed acts which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted the crime of attempted assault in the third degree (see Penal Law §§ 110.00, 120.00 [1]; Matter of Nikita P., 3 A.D.3d 499, 500, 769 N.Y.S.2d 602). Moreover, resolution of issues of credibility, as well as the weight to be accorded to the evidence presented, are primarily questions to be determined by the trier of fact, which saw and heard the witnesses (see Matter of Dennis G., 294 A.D.2d 501, 742 N.Y.S.2d 858; Matter of Stafford B., 187 A.D.2d 649, 650, 591 N.Y.S.2d 785; cf. People v. Gaimari, 176 N.Y. 84, 68 N.E. 112). Its determination should be accorded great weight on appeal and should not be disturbed unless clearly unsupported by the record (see Matter of Dennis G., supra; Matter of Stafford B., supra; cf. People v. Garafolo, 44 A.D.2d 86, 88, 353 N.Y.S.2d 500). Upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the findings of fact were not against the weight of the evidence (cf. CPL 470.15[5] ).
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Decided: June 20, 2006
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)