People v. Buford

Mar 2, 1998
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Bracken

—Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Nassau County (DeRiggi, J.), rendered March ‍​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍21, 1996, convicting him of burglary in the second degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

Viewing the evidence ‍​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v Contes, 60 NY2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt of burglary in the second degree beyond a reasonable ‍​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍doubt. There was sufficient evidence for the jury to conclude that the garage, which was attached to the complainant’s residence and which the defendant entered and took gardening tools from, was a dwelling ‍​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍within the meaning of Penal Law § 140.25 (2) (see, Penal Law § 140.00 [2], [3]; People v Santana, 143 AD2d 207; People v Green, 141 AD2d 760; People v Stevenson, 116 AD2d 756).

The defendant’s contention that the jury charge was improper is unpreserved for appellate ‍​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍review (CPL 470.05 [2]), and, in any event, without merit.

Bracken, J. P., Santucci, Goldstein and McGinity, JJ., concur.