Intent to Rob Sufficiently Proven by Circumstantial Evidence

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Rivera, determined there was sufficient evidence to support the attempted robbery conviction.  Defendant, when the business was closed, was dressed in dark clothes, wearing a mask, and carrying a handgun (BB gun) while pounding on the door of the business asking to enter.  The defendant never was allowed inside and ran when the police arrived.  The defendant argued there was no evidence he intended to commit robbery, as opposed to some other crime.  The Court of Appeals found the circumstantial evidence of an intent to commit robbery sufficient:

…[H]ere there was evidence that defendant, who was unknown to any of the employees present that morning, and had no apparent business at Wendy’s, nevertheless showed up masked and armed, carrying a backpack, seeking entry at 6:30 am through a locked rear door not used by the public, with an escape vehicle conveniently parked nearby. This fit the pattern common to an early morning robbery of a commercial establishment and was sufficient to support the inference that defendant intended to steal. People v Lamont, 2015 NY Slip Op 04165, CtApp 5-14-15