| People v Spencer |
| 2008 NY Slip Op 07553 [55 AD3d 1424] |
| October 3, 2008 |
| Appellate Division, Fourth Department |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant
to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| As corrected through Wednesday, December 10, 2008 |
| The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Joseph R. Spencer,
Appellant. |
—[*1]The case is held, the decision is reserved, the motion to
relieve counsel of assignment is granted and new counsel is to be assigned. Memorandum: Defendant
was convicted upon a guilty plea of burglary in the third degree (Penal Law § 140.20).
Defendant's assigned appellate counsel has moved to be relieved of the assignment pursuant to
People v Crawford (71 AD2d 38 [1979]), and has submitted an affirmation in which he
concludes that there are no nonfrivolous issues meriting this Court's consideration. The record
establishes that defendant moved prior to sentencing to withdraw his plea. The facts raise the issue of
whether the court abused its discretion in denying defendant's motion. Therefore, we relieve counsel of
his assignment and assign new counsel to brief this issue, as well as any other issues that counsel's
review of the record may disclose. (Appeal from Judgment of Jefferson County Court, Kim H.
Martusewicz, J.—Burglary, 3rd Degree.) Present—Scudder, P.J., Hurlbutt, Martoche,
Smith and Lunn, JJ.