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.
The People, etc., respondent, v. Winston Mendez, also known as Richard Thomas, appellant.
Argued—June 7, 2011
DECISION & ORDER
Appeals by the defendant from (1) a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Eng, J.), rendered July 19, 2001, convicting him of assault in the second degree and resisting arrest, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence, and (2) a resentence of the same court (Buchter, J.), imposed December 19, 2008, which imposed a period of postrelease supervision of 11/212 years in addition to the determinate terms of imprisonment previously imposed.
ORDERED that the appeal from the resentence is dismissed as academic; and it is further,
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.
The defendant's appeal from the resentence must be dismissed as academic, as the challenged period of postrelease supervision has expired (see People v. Elmendorf, 83 AD3d 959; People v. Garner, 83 AD3d 862; People v. Rodriguez, 269 A.D.2d 613; People v. Hernandez, 166 A.D.2d 609).
The defendant's contention that the Supreme Court erred in denying his request to give a justification charge on the count of assault in the second degree is without merit. Because no reasonable view of the evidence supported a justification charge on that count, the Supreme Court properly denied the defendant's request for such a charge (see People v. Rembert, 52 AD3d 537; People v. Brown, 33 AD3d 1016).
The defendant's contention that a justification charge should have been given for the count of resisting arrest is unpreserved for appellate review, as he failed to request such a charge for that count (see People v. Smitherman, 297 A.D.2d 352). In any event, this contention is without merit.
The contention raised in the defendant's pro se supplemental brief that he was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel is without merit (see People v. Benevento, 91 N.Y.2d 708, 712; People v. Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 147).
SKELOS, J.P., LEVENTHAL, AUSTIN and SGROI, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Matthew G. Kiernan
Clerk of the Court
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.
Docket No: 2001–07602 2009–03826 (Ind.No. 1791 /00)
Decided: June 21, 2011
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)