X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

 Defendant appeals from a judgment of the Criminal Court of the City of New York, New York County (Alexander M. Tisch, J.), rendered September 4, 2013, convicting him, upon a plea of guilty, of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and imposing sentence.Per Curiam.Judgment of conviction (Alexander M. Tisch, J.), rendered September 4, 2013, affirmed.Treating the accusatory instrument as a complaint in evaluating defendant’s jurisdictional challenge (see People v. Dumay, 23 NY3d 518 [2014]), we find that the instrument was legally sufficient to charge defendant with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (see Penal Law §265.01[2]), the offense to which he ultimately pleaded guilty. The instrument alleges that police recovered “a black kitchen knife from the defendant’s pants pocket” after he was observed riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in front of a building; that the knife blade was longer than four inches; that defendant stated, in substance, “I got jumped yesterday, I carry it for protection”; and that defendant resisted arrest by “refus[ing] to place his hands behind his back and placed his hands under his body on the ground, making it difficult to handcuff him.”Giving these allegations “a fair and not overly restrictive or technical reading” (People v. Casey, 95 NY2d 354, 360 [2000]), they were sufficient to provide reasonable cause to believe that defendant possessed a “dangerous knife” within the contemplation of Penal Law §265.01(2), i.e., “an instrument of offensive or defensive combat” (Matter of Jamie D., 59 NY2d 589, 592 [1983]; Matter of Patrick L., 244 AD2d 244 [1997], lv denied 91 NY2d 811 [1998]). In this regard, defendant carried the knife “at a time and place where its use for a lawful purpose…was highly unlikely” (People v. Campos, 93 AD3d 581, 582 [2012], lv denied 19 NY3d 971 [2012]), and his attempt to resist arrest and his statement that he carried the knife “for protection,” permit an inference that defendant himself considered the knife to be “a weapon of significance to the police and not an innocent utilitarian utensil” (Matter of Jamie D., 59 NY2d at 593-594; Matter of Carolina P., 83 AD3d 847 [2011]; see People v. Edward, 51 Misc 3d 36 [App Term, 1st Dept 2016], affd sub nom People v. McCain, 30 NY3d 1121 [2018]).THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE COURT.

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand.

More From ALM

With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.
View Now
Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.
View Now
Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same.
View Now
September 24, 2024
Chicago, IL

Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards honors women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession.


Learn More
September 23, 2024 - September 25, 2024
Chicago, IL

WIPL is the original global forum facilitating women-to-women exchange on leadership and legal issues.


Learn More
September 26, 2024
Boston, MA

The New England Legal Awards serves as a testament to the outstanding contributions and achievements made by legal professionals.


Learn More

Philadelphia Plaintiff litigation firm seeks an associate attorney with at least 2 years' experience to join our team handling personal inju...


Apply Now ›

Position OverviewThe United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is accepting applications for the full-time, permanent positio...


Apply Now ›

A prominent AV-rated Education Law firm seeks an associate with 5+ years experience. The role will primarily involve advice and counsel in ...


Apply Now ›