ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ABUSE OF DISCRETION BY COUNTY COURT, APPELLATE COURT VACATED THE CONVICTION AND ADJUDICATED DEFENDANT A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (FOURTH DEPT).
The Fourth Department vacated defendant’s conviction and adjudicated defendant a youthful offender in the interest of justice (no abuse of discretion). The only factor weighing against youthful offender treatment was the seriousness of the crime, an armed felony:
In determining whether to afford such treatment to a defendant, a court must consider “the gravity of the crime and manner in which it was committed, mitigating circumstances, defendant’s prior criminal record, prior acts of violence, recommendations in the presentence reports, defendant’s reputation, the level of cooperation with authorities, defendant’s attitude toward society and respect for the law, and the prospects for rehabilitation and hope for a future constructive life” … . Here, the only factor weighing against affording defendant youthful offender treatment is the seriousness of the crime … . Defendant was 17 years old at the time of the crime and had no prior criminal record or history of violence. Defendant has accepted responsibility for his actions and expressed genuine remorse. The presentence report recommended youthful offender treatment, and the record establishes that defendant has the capacity for a productive and law-abiding future.
Although we do not conclude, after weighing the appropriate factors, that the court abused its discretion in denying defendant youthful offender status, we nevertheless choose to exercise our discretion in the interest of justice by reversing the judgment, vacating the conviction, and adjudicating defendant a youthful offender, and we remit the matter to County Court for sentencing on the adjudication … . People v Keith B.J., 2018 NY Slip Op 00734, Fourth Dept 2-2-18
CRIMINAL LAW (YOUTHFUL OFFENDER, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ABUSE OF DISCRETION BY COUNTY COURT, APPELLATE COURT VACATED THE CONVICTION AND ADJUDICATED DEFENDANT A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (FOURTH DEPT))/APPEALS (CRIMINAL LAW, INTEREST OF JUSTICE, YOUTHFUL OFFENDER, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ABUSE OF DISCRETION BY COUNTY COURT, APPELLATE COURT VACATED THE CONVICTION AND ADJUDICATED DEFENDANT A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (FOURTH DEPT))/YOUTHFUL OFFENDER (CRIMINAL LAW, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ABUSE OF DISCRETION BY COUNTY COURT, APPELLATE COURT VACATED THE CONVICTION AND ADJUDICATED DEFENDANT A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (FOURTH DEPT))