People v. Melecio
Court: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; November 24, 1997; New York; State Appellate Court
Defendant was convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree by the Supreme Court of New York County, with Justice Herbert Altman presiding. The conviction followed a jury trial, and the defendant was sentenced as a second felony offender to a prison term of 4.5 to 9 years. The appellate court unanimously affirmed the conviction, determining that the evidence presented at trial was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt. The court rejected any challenges to the credibility findings made by both the hearing court and the jury, concluding that the denial of the defendant's suppression motion was appropriate and that the jury's verdict was supported by the evidence. The decision referenced precedents, including People v Prochilo and People v Gaimari. Concurrence was noted from Justices Milonas, Rosenberger, Nardelli, Rubin, and Tom.