AMICUS AI
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Docket Number
Attorney(S)
Judges
Are you a practicing lawyer?
Enhance your digital presence and reach by creating a Casemine profile.
Upload pleading to use the new AI search
Cites
Cited by
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Docket Number
Attorney(S)
Judges

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. DOUGLAS JOHNSON, Appellant.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

Contrary to the defendant's contention, the County Court properly denied that branch of his omnibus motion which was to suppress his written statement to law enforcement personnel. It is well settled that intoxication alone is insufficient to render a waiver of Miranda rights ( see Miranda v Arizona, 384 US 436) invalid and a resultant statement involuntary ( see People v Benjamin, 17 AD3d 688, 689; People v Shields, 295 AD2d 374). The evidence was insufficient to establish that the defendant was intoxicated "to a degree of mania or of being unable to understand the meaning of his statements" so as to render his statement involuntary ( People v Benjamin, 17 AD3d at 689; see People v Raffaele, 41 AD3d 869, 869; People v Schompert, 19 NY2d 300, 305, cert denied 389 US 874; People v Shields, 295 AD2d at 374; People v Jordan, 216 AD2d 489, 490).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, defense counsel's failure to request a jury charge regarding the voluntariness of his statement to the police did not, under the circumstances, deprive the defendant of his right to effective assistance of counsel ( see People v Herr, 203 AD2d 927, 927-928, aff'd 86 NY2d 638; see generally People v Stultz, 2 NY3d 277, 287).

The defendant's contention that certain allegedly improper comments made by the prosecutor during his summation deprived the defendant of his right to a fair trial is unpreserved for appellate review ( see CPL 470.05; People v Romero, 7 NY3d 911, 912; People v Garcia, 52 AD3d 734). In any event, the challenged comments were fair comment on the evidence, permissible rhetorical comment, or responsive to defense counsel's summation ( see People v Gillespie, 36 AD3d 626, 627; People v McHarris, 297 AD2d 824, 825).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, under the circumstances, the County Court's determination to admit into evidence a photograph depicting the victim's injury did not deprive the defendant of his right to a fair trial ( see People v Stevens, 76 NY2d 833, 835-836; People v Walsh, 294 AD2d 519, 520).

Use AI to get other relevant cases.

Comments

PEOPLE v. JOHNSON
(Feb 8, 2011)