People v. Chestnut, 2017 NY Slip Op 2674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2017). · Go Syfert
People v. Chestnut, 2017 NY Slip Op 2674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2017). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
17 citation events (17 in the last 25 years) across 3 distinct courts.
Top citers, strongest first. 7 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Chestnut v. LaManna
E.D.N.Y · 2019 · confidence medium
With respect to Chestnut’s Confrontation Clause claim, it held that “the Supreme Court properly determined that the People established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the complainant had been rendered unavailable due to threats made at the defendant’s initiative or acquiescence,” so it was proper “to use [Watt’s] grand jury testimony as part of their direct case at trial.” People v. Chestnut, 149 A.D.3d 772, 773 (N.Y.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) The People v. Samuel J. Smith
NY · 2019 · confidence medium
People v Chestnut, 149 AD3d 772, 773 [2d Dept 2017], lv denied 29 NY3d 1077 [2017]; People v McBride, 272 AD2d 200 , 200 [1st Dept 2000], lv denied 95 NY2d 868 [2000]; People v Townsley, 240 AD2d 955, 958 [3d Dept 1997], lv denied 90 NY2d 943 [1997], reconsideration denied 90 NY2d 1014 [1997]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Smith (2×)
N.Y. App. Div. · 2018 · confidence medium
People v Chestnut, 149 AD3d 772, 773 [2d Dept 2017], lv denied 29 NY3d 1077 [2017]; People v Kass, 59 AD3d 77, 89 [2d Dept 2008]; People v Johnson, 279 AD2d 294 , 295 [1st Dept 2001], lv denied 96 NY2d 830 [2001]; [*2]People v McBride, 272 AD2d 200 , 200 [1st Dept 2000], lv denied 95 NY2d 868 [2000]; People v Kilgore, 254 AD2d 635, 638 [3d Dept 1998], lv denied 93 NY2d 875 [1999]; People v Smith, 240 AD2d 949, 949 [3d Dept 1997], lv denied 91 NY2d 880 [1997]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Nelson
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
“Recognizing the surreptitious nature of witness tampering and that a defendant engaging in such conduct will rarely do so openly, resorting instead to subterfuge, the court can rely on and the prosecution can use circumstantial evidence in making the requisite determination” (People v Chestnut, 149 AD3d 772, 773 [2017] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted], lv denied 29 NY3d 1077 [2017]; see People v Smart, 23 NY3d at 220-221 ; People v Cotto, 92 NY2d at 76-77 ).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Polancobatista
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
In addition, since the People presented evidence sufficient to provide reasonable assurances of the identity and unchanged condition of the DNA evidence at trial (see People v Hawkins, 11 NY3d 484, 494 [2008]; People v Davidson, 111 AD3d 848, 848-849 [2013]; People v Smith, 98 AD3d 533, 534-535 [2012]; People v Ortiz, 80 AD3d 628, 630 [2011]; People v Morgan, 48 AD3d 703, 704 [2008]; People v Gibson, 28 AD3d 576, 576 [2006]), defense counsel’s failure to object to the admission of certain DNA evidence did not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel (see People v Chestnut, 149 AD3d 772, …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Walker
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
Accordingly, the Supreme Court did not err in permitting the People to introduce into evidence on their direct case the complainant’s grand jury testimony and certain other out-of-court statements (see People v Chestnut, 149 AD3d 772, 773 [2017]).
discussed Cited "see" People v. Shelly
N.Y. App. Div. · 2019 · signal: see · confidence high
"Recognizing the surreptitious nature of witness tampering and that a defendant engaging in such conduct will rarely do so openly, resorting instead to subterfuge, the court can rely on and the prosecution can use circumstantial evidence in making the requisite determination" ( People v Leggett , 107 AD3d 741, 742 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see People v Chestnut , 149 AD3d 772, 773 ).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
The People of the State of New York, Respondent,
v.
Robert Chestnut, Appellant
2013-09674.
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Apr 5, 2017.
2017 NY Slip Op 2674
Leventhal, Sgroi, Hinds-Radix, Lasalle.
Cited by 13 opinions  |  Published

[*773] Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Cyrulnik, J.), rendered October 15, 2013, convicting him of assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (two counts), upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

A witness’s testimony in a previous proceeding may be admitted as part of the People’s direct case where the People “demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant, by violence, threats or chicanery, caused [the] witness’s unavailability” (People v Cotto, 92 NY2d 68, 75-76 [1998]; see People v Dubarry, 25 NY3d 161, 174 [2015]; People v Geraci, 85 NY2d 359, 365-366 [1995]). “Recognizing the surreptitious nature of witness tampering and that a defendant engaging in such conduct will rarely do so openly, resorting instead to subterfuge, the court can rely on and the prosecution can use circumstantial evidence in making the requisite determination” (People v Leggett, 107 AD3d 741, 742 [2013] [internal quotation marks omitted]). Here, after a Sirois hearing (see People v Sirois, 92 AD2d 618 [1983]; Matter of Holtzman v Hellenbrand, 92 AD2d 405, 415 [1983]), the Supreme Court properly determined that the People established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the complainant had been rendered unavailable due to threats made at the defendant’s initiative or acquiescence (see People v Leggett, 107 AD3d at 742; People v Nucci, 162 AD2d 725, 726 [1990]). Accordingly, the People were properly allowed to use the complainant’s grand jury testimony as part of their direct case at trial (see People v Geraci, 85 NY2d at 362).

Contrary to the defendant’s contention, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in denying his request for a missing witness charge, as the defendant failed to meet his initial burden of establishing that the uncalled witness would have provided noncumulative testimony and that the uncalled witness was under the People’s control (see People v Edwards, 14 NY3d 733, 735 [2010]; People v Gonzalez, 68 NY2d 424, 427 [1986]; People v Samaroo, 137 AD3d 1308, 1309 [2016]).

The defendant’s contention that the evidence was legally insufficient to establish that the complainant sustained a serious physical injury, as required for the conviction of assault in the first degree (see Penal Law §§ 10.00 [10]; 120.10 [1]), is unpreserved for appellate review (see CPL 470.05 [2]; People v Hawkins, 11 NY3d 484, 492 [2008]). In any event, viewing the[*774] evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see People v Contes, 60 NY2d 620 [1983]), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt of assault in the first degree beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, upon our independent review of the evidence pursuant to CPL 470.15 (5), we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see People v Romero, 7 NY3d 633 [2006]).

Finally, defense counsel’s failure to object to the admission of certain DNA evidence did not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel (see People v John, 27 NY3d 294 [2016]; People v Henderson, 142 AD3d 1104, 1105 [2016]; People v Beckham, 142 AD3d 556 [2016]).

Leventhal, J.P., Sgroi, Hinds-Radix and LaSalle, JJ., concur.