Conviction on a Lesser Inclusory Count Can Not Stand Even In the Absence of Preservation

The Fourth Department determined defendant’s conviction of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree could not stand because that charge was a lesser inclusory count of another count of which the defendant was convicted (criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree):

Although defendant failed to preserve this contention for our review, the People … correctly concede that “we may review the issue as a matter of law despite defendant’s failure to raise it in the trial court” … . People v Roberts, 2014 NY Slip Op 06707, 4th Dept 10-3-14