People v. Woodson

Jul 18, 2006
Versions:31 A.D.3d 678
818 N.Y.S.2d 295

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Erlbaum, J.), rendered August 5, 2003, convicting him of criminal contempt in the first degree, criminal trespass in the second degree, and criminal contempt in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

Contrary to the defendant‘s contention, the trial court properly admitted evidence of the facts underlying his 2001 conviction for attempted assault in the third degree to show his knowledge that an order of protection was in effect and his intent (see People v. Molineux, 168 N.Y. 264, 293 [1901]). Since knowledge and intent could not be easily inferred from the defendant‘s presence at the complainant‘s home, and the facts of the prior crime were similar to the instant case, the evidence was more probative than prejudicial and was properly admitted with appropriate limiting instructions (see People v. Cook, 93 N.Y.2d 840, 841 [1999]; People v. Alvino, 71 N.Y.2d 233, 242 [1987]; Matter of Brandon, 55 N.Y.2d 206, 214 [1982]; People v. Bailey, 21 A.D.3d 383, 384 [2005]).

The defendant‘s contention regarding the summation is without merit, as the prosecutor‘s remarks were fair comment upon the evidence or responsive to argument presented by the defendant‘s counsel (see People v. Mattia, 8 A.D.3d 299, 300 [2004]; People v. Fernandez, 7 A.D.3d 730, 731 [2004]). Florio, J.P., Krausman, Mastro and Dillon, JJ., concur.