You are here: / / THE DEFENDANT’S DNA ON THE WEAPON AND DEFENDANT’S PRESENCE...
, ,

THE DEFENDANT’S DNA ON THE WEAPON AND DEFENDANT’S PRESENCE AS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR WHERE THE WEAPON WAS FOUND WERE NOT SUFFICIENT TO PROVE DEFENDANT POSSESSED THE WEAPON AT THE TIME ALLEGED IN THE INDICTMENT; DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION REVERSED BASED ON A WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE ANALYSIS (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing defendant’s possession of a weapon conviction, applying a weight of the evidence analysis, determined the defendant’s DNA on the weapon and his presence as a passenger in the car where the weapon was found was not enough:

It is undisputed that the driver owned the vehicle and that the duffle bag belonged to him as well. The People relied on evidence that defendant’s DNA profile matched that of the major contributor to DNA found on the handgun and that the driver was excluded as a contributor thereto. Although ” an inference could be made [from that evidence] that defendant had physically possessed the gun at some point in time’ ” … , that evidence alone … does not establish that defendant actually possessed the handgun on the date and at the time alleged in the indictment … . …

Defendant was not the owner or operator of the vehicle, nor did the duffle bag in the locked trunk belong to him, and there was no evidence that defendant possessed or had access to the keys for the vehicle or that he had any access to or control over the trunk and duffle bag … . Contrary to the People’s contention, defendant’s statement to the police did not constitute an admission that he had possessed the handgun …  or that he knew about its presence in the duffle bag and, in any event, mere knowledge of the presence of the handgun would not establish constructive possession … . People v Hunt, 2020 NY Slip Op 04270, Fourth Dept 7-24-20

 

You might also like
THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PROBATION OFFICER’S SEARCH OF DEFENDANT’S RESIDENCE WAS UNLAWFUL AND UNREASONABLE BECAUSE IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON AN UNCORROBORATED ANONYMOUS TIP WAS NOT PRESERVED FOR APPEAL, THE DISSENT DISAGREED; DEFENDANT DID NOT DEMONSTRATE DEFENSE COUNSEL WAS INEFFECTIVE FOR FAILING TO PRESERVE THE ISSUE (FOURTH DEPT).
THE MUNICIPALITY DID NOT OWE A SPECIAL DUTY TO PLAINTIFF’S DECEDENT WHO CALLED 911 DURING A SNOW STORM AFTER HIS CAR HAD BECOME STUCK AND WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS CAR THREE DAYS LATER (FOURTH DEPT).
THE COUNTY IS DISTINCT FROM THE SHERIFF, AND THE SHERIFF IS DISTINCT FROM THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, ONLY THE SHERIFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIRING AND TRAINING OF SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES, THEREFORE THE INJURED INMATE’S ACTION AGAINST THE COUNTY FOR NEGLIGENT HIRING, TRAINING, SUPERVISION AND RETENTION OF SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES WAS PROPERLY DISMISSED (FOURTH DEPT).
SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE HELD AS A MATTER OF LAW THAT THE TRIGGERING EVENT FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ASBESTOS-INJURY IS THE FIRST EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS AS OPPOSED TO EXPOSURE TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ASBESTOS (FOURTH DEPT).
DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO SEVERANCE FROM THE CODEFENDANTS, CODEFENDANTS TOOK AN AGGRESSIVE ADVERSERIAL STANCE AGAINST DEFENDANT AT TRIAL, NEW TRIAL ORDERED.
“REFUSING A BREATH TEST” IS NOT A COGNIZABLE OFFENSE; A CONVICTION IS THEREFORE A FUNDAMENTAL ERROR WHICH MUST BE CORRECTED ON APPEAL EVEN IF THE ISSUE IS NOT BRIEFED (FOURTH DEPT).
PLAINTIFF STRUCK BY A LACROSSE BALL THROWN BY A COACH DURING PRACTICE, THE ACTION WAS NOT PRECLUDED BY EITHER THE SIGNED WAIVER OR THE DOCTRINE OF ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK (FOURTH DEPT).
DEFENDANT WAS CONVICTED OF ASSAULT THIRD BASED UPON HIS LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CRASHING, INJURING A PASSENGER; THE “CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE” ELEMENT OF ASSAULT THIRD WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE; CONVICTION REVERSED UNDER A “WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE” ANALYSIS (FOURTH DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

SEVERE ABUSE FINDING SUPPORTED BY FATHER’S FAILURE TO SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL... MOTIONS FOR LEAVE TO FILE LATE NOTICES OF CLAIM IN THIS “POLLUTION ESCAPING...