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THE FAILURE TO MENTION THE JUSTIFICATION DEFENSE ON THE VERDICT SHEET WAS NOT PRESERVED FOR APPEAL BY AN OBJECTION AND THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE APPELLATE JURISDICTION WILL NOT BE INVOKED WHERE THERE WAS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department determined defendant did not preserve the issue concerning the adequacy of the verdict sheet which did not mention the justification defense. Defendant was acquitted of the top counts (attempted murder and assault first) and convicted of assault second. The jury was instructed not to consider the lesser counts if the justification defense applied. But the verdict sheet was silent on the justification defense. The First Department refused to exercise its interest of justice jurisdiction because there was ample opportunity to interpose an objection to the jury instructions and verdict sheet:

… [D]efendant contends that his conviction on the lesser count of second-degree assault must be vacated since the verdict sheet made no mention of justification. Verdict sheets in criminal cases, however, may not include substantive instructions absent authorization by CPL 310.20(2) … . Here, defense counsel made no objections when the verdict sheet was reviewed and discussed by the court with the parties.

In prior cases, we reversed convictions in the interest of justice where defendants interposed no objections to jury instructions that failed to comply with Velez [131 AD3d 129], even though the claim was unpreserved … .

In People v Davis (176 AD3d 634 [2019], lv denied 34 NY3d 1157 [2020]), we changed course. The jury in that case similarly found defendant not guilty of the top count, but guilty of the lesser count. Although defendant interposed no objections to the verdict sheet or the jury instructions that were given, defendant appealed on the basis that both the initial and supplemental charges and the verdict sheet did not comply with Velez. We “decline[d] to exercise our interest of justice jurisdiction to review these unpreserved claims” … .

Davis is applicable here. The defendant, although afforded multiple opportunities during the two-and-a-half to three-day charge conference, during trial and prior to deliberations, interposed no objections, and thus, failed to preserve his claims. People v Macon, 2020 NY Slip Op 04519, First Dept 8-13-20

 

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