[*1]
People v Morales (Jose)
2020 NY Slip Op 51550(U) [70 Misc 3d 131(A)]
Decided on December 24, 2020
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.


Decided on December 24, 2020
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 9th and 10th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS

PRESENT: : THOMAS A. ADAMS, P.J., TERRY JANE RUDERMAN, ELIZABETH H. EMERSON, JJ
2018-352 S CR

The People of the State of New York, Respondent,

against

Jose Morales, Appellant.


Scott Lockwood, for appellant. Suffolk County Traffic Prosecutor's Office, for respondent (no brief filed).

Appeal from eight judgments of the District Court of Suffolk County, Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency (John Andrew Kay, J.H.O.), rendered January 22, 2018. The judgments, after a nonjury trial, convicted defendant of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and with operating a motor vehicle with an inoperative parking brake, an inoperative left rear lamp, an inoperative left turn signal, and a substandard tire (four charges), respectively, and imposed sentences.

ORDERED that the four judgments convicting defendant of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle with an inoperative parking brake, an inoperative left rear lamp, and an inoperative left turn signal, respectively, are affirmed; and it is further,

ORDERED that the four judgments convicting defendant of operating a motor vehicle with a substandard tire are reversed, on the facts, the accusatory instruments charging that offense are dismissed, and the fines, surcharges, and administrative fees thereon, if paid, are remitted.

Defendant was charged in eight separate simplified traffic informations with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 509 [1]), and operating a motor vehicle with an inoperative parking brake (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375 [1]), an inoperative left rear lamp (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375 [2] [a] [3]), an inoperative left turn signal (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375 [18]), and a substandard tire (four charges) (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375 [35] [c]), respectively. Following a nonjury trial, during which the state trooper who had issued the citations to defendant testified, the court found defendant guilty of all charges and sentenced defendant to a fine in the amount of $100, plus a $55 administrative fee and a surcharge, on each conviction.

Upon a defendant's request, this court must conduct a weight of the evidence review and, thus, "a defendant will be given one appellate review of adverse factual findings" (People v Danielson, 9 NY3d 342, 348 [2007]). "Necessarily, in conducting its weight of the evidence review, a court must consider the elements of the crime, for even if the prosecution's witnesses were credible their testimony must prove the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt" (id. at 349). If it appears that the factfinder failed to give the evidence the weight it should be accorded, this court may set aside the verdict and dismiss the accusatory instrument (see CPL 470.20 [5]; People v Romero, 7 NY3d 633, 643—644 [2006]; People v Mateo, 2 NY3d 383, 410 [2004]). Application of these principles here warrants the conclusion that the verdicts convicting defendant of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle with an inoperative parking brake, an inoperative left rear lamp, and an inoperative left turn signal, respectively, were not against the weight of the evidence. However, the four verdicts convicting defendant of operating a motor vehicle with a substandard tire were against the weight of the evidence as the People failed to establish a violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375 (35) (c), in that they failed to prove that defendant's motor vehicle was not in compliance with any of the standards for tires set forth in 15 NYCRR 51.5.

Defendant's constitutional challenge to Article 14-B of the General Municipal Law was not raised with specificity in his affidavit of errors and, consequently, since the District Court was not able to respond to this contention in its return, we find that the claim is unpreserved for appellate review and we decline to address it as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice (see People v Sarant, 60 Misc 3d 140[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51270[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2018]; People v Massian, 60 Misc 3d 134[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51049[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2018]; People v Pomerantz, 59 Misc 3d 133[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 50482[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2018]).

We have reviewed defendant's remaining contentions and find them to be either unpreserved for appellate review or without merit (see People v Austin, 67 Misc 3d 143[A], 2020 NY Slip Op 50743[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2020]; Massian, 60 Misc 3d 134[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51049[U]; People v Gray, 58 Misc 3d 155[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 50184[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2018]; People v Cataldo, 57 Misc 3d 153[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51597[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2017]).

Accordingly, the four judgments convicting defendant of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle with an inoperative parking brake, an inoperative left rear lamp, and an inoperative left turn signal, respectively, are affirmed. The four judgments convicting defendant of operating a motor vehicle with a substandard tire are reversed and the accusatory instruments charging that offense are dismissed.

ADAMS, P.J., RUDERMAN and EMERSON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:


Paul Kenny


Chief Clerk


Decision Date: December 24, 2020