People v. Diaz

Dec 21, 1993
Reporters:
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Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Ira F. Beal, J.), rendered March 22, *1831991, convicting defendant, ‍‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍after a jury trial, of one count of attempted murder in the second degree and one count of assault in the first degree, and sentencing him to concurrent ‍‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍terms of 7 to 21 years and 3 to 9 years, respectively, unanimously affirmed.

On this record, it is apparent that defense counsel was faced with the ethical dilemma which ‍‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍arises when counsel learns during trial that his client intends to commit perjury. It is also apparent that counsel’s actions in discharging his ethical responsibilities (Code of Professional Responsibility ‍‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍DR 7-102 [A] [4] [22 NYCRR 1200.33 (a) (4)]) did not deny his client the effective assistance of counsel.

The trial court’s Sandoval ruling, if error, was harmless, given the overwhelming ‍‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍evidence of guilt (People v Crimmins, 36 NY2d 230). Concur—Sullivan, J. P., Asch, Rubin and Nardelli, JJ.