In Deciding the Sequence of Convictions, the Original Sentence Date Controls, Not the Date of Resentencing to Cure a Post-Release-Supervision Flaw

In a full-fledged opinion by Judge Abdus-Salaam, the Court of Appeals determined that, with respect to New York’s sentence enhancement statutes, “the controlling date of sentence for the defendant’s prior conviction is the original date of sentence for that conviction… [not] the date of a later resentencing which rectifies the flawed imposition of post-release supervision (PRS) in accordance with … People v Sparber (10 NY3d 457 [2008]). … Therefore, at sentencing for a more recent crime, the defendant’s prior conviction qualifies as a predicate felony conviction if the original date of sentence precedes the commission of the present offense.”  People v Boyer…, 205, 206, CtApp 11-14-13