You are here: / / UNDER THE STIPULATED FACTS, THE DEFENDANT’S TRAGIC ERROR, MISTAKING...

UNDER THE STIPULATED FACTS, THE DEFENDANT’S TRAGIC ERROR, MISTAKING THE VICTIM FOR A DEER, DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE CONVICTION REVERSED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing defendant’s negligent homicide conviction, determined there was no valid line of reasoning that could have led to the verdict in this hunting accident case. The facts were stipulated in this nonjury trial. The victim, who was in the defendant’s hunting party, was in an area all had agreed was off limits and there was evidence defendant reasonably mistook the victim for a deer:

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the People … , there is no valid line of reasoning that could have led County Court to conclude that defendant engaged in any “blameworthy conduct” that created or contributed to a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death … . As stipulated to by the parties, … defendant had “no reason to believe [that] any of his three companions would be in the area where he was shooting.” Defendant’s hunting party was not engaged in the hunting practice of “driving” the deer … , and they had instead agreed to hunt from separate, stationary tree stands that had been specifically positioned prior to the hunt “in such a way that no one would be shooting in the direction of another hunter.” Additionally, … defendant and the property owner had specifically advised the victim that, should he decide to again leave his designated stand before the hunt was over, he should take a specific route … that was outside of the hunters’ respective lines of fire. Moreover, there was no evidence that defendant had consumed any alcohol or drugs prior to the hunt, and he was unaware that the victim had cocaine and opiates in his system. While defendant made the tragic and deadly error of mistaking the camouflage-dressed victim for a buck, we cannot say — under the stipulated set of facts — that his actions rose to the level of criminal negligence … . People v Gerbino, 2018 NY Slip Op 03179, Third Dept 5-3-18

​CRIMINAL LAW (UNDER THE STIPULATED FACTS, THE DEFENDANT’S TRAGIC ERROR, MISTAKING THE VICTIM FOR A DEER, DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE CONVICTION REVERSED (THIRD DEPT))/NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE  (UNDER THE STIPULATED FACTS, THE DEFENDANT’S TRAGIC ERROR, MISTAKING THE VICTIM FOR A DEER, DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE CONVICTION REVERSED (THIRD DEPT))/HUNTING ACCIDENT (NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE, (UNDER THE STIPULATED FACTS, THE DEFENDANT’S TRAGIC ERROR, MISTAKING THE VICTIM FOR A DEER, DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE CONVICTION REVERSED (THIRD DEPT))

You might also like
DEFENDANT WAS NOT NOTIFIED THAT IF HE FAILED TO PAY RESTITUTION HIS SENTENCE WOULD BE ENHANCED; ENHANCED SENTENCE VACATED AND AGREED-UPON SENTENCE IMPOSED (THIRD DEPT).
THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE FORM AND NO REGULATION REQUIRING CLAIMANT TO SUBMIT A SEPARATE RB-89 FORM FOR EACH CLAIM; THE BOARD THEREFORE ABUSED ITS DISCRETION WHEN IT REFUSED TO REVIEW THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW JUDGE’S (WCLJ’S) DECISION ON THAT GROUND (THIRD DEPT).
Family Court Did Not Inform Respondent of His Rights and Did Not Conduct an Adequate Colloquy—PINS Adjudication Reversed
ANY CHALLENGE BASED ON A DEFECT IN THE SUPERIOR COURT INFORMATION AND WAIVER OF APPEAL FOR FAILURE TO SET FORTH THE DATE AND TIME OF THE OFFENSE WAIVED BY THE GUILTY PLEA; THE PLEA WAS INVALID BECAUSE OF THE INCOMPLETE COLLOQUY (THIRD DEPT).
DEFENSE COUNSEL INEFFECTIVE FOR FAILING TO MOVE TO DISMISS THE ACCUSATORY INSTRUMENTS ON SPEEDY TRIAL GROUNDS, CONVICTIONS REVERSED (THIRD DEPT).
DEFENDANT ARGUED HAD SHE BEEN INFORMED DEPORTATION WAS NOT AN ISSUE SHE WOULD HAVE PLED GUILTY AND THEREBY AVOIDED THE LONGER SENTENCE IMPOSED AFTER TRIAL, HEARING ON MOTION TO SET ASIDE HER CONVICTION ON INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE GROUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD.
ATTEMPT TO CONTEST THE NYS BOARD OF ELECTIONS’ FAILURE TO PLUG THE LLC LOOPHOLE, WHICH ALLOWS HIGHER CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FOR LLC’S THAN FOR CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS, PROPERLY DISMISSED FOR LACK OF STANDING AND LACK OF A JUSTICIABLE CONTROVERSY (THIRD DEPT).
EMERGENCY EXCEPTION TO THE WARRANT REQUIREMENT DID NOT JUSTIFY ENTRY AND SEARCH OF DEFENDANT’S APARTMENT, CONVICTIONS REVERSED (THIRD 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

COURT PROPERLY RELIED ON UNSIGNED COPIES OF A DEPOSITION TRANSCRIPT BECAUSE... RESPONDENT, WHO PLED NOT RESPONSIBLE BY REASON OF MENTAL DISEASE OR DEFECT,...