People v. Ward
Opinion of the Court
—Appeal from a judgment of Supreme Court, Monroe County (Sirkin, J.), entered June 17, 1999, convicting defendant after a jury trial of robbery in the first degree.
It is hereby ordered that the judgment so appealed from be and the same hereby is unanimously affirmed.
Memorandum: Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him following a jury trial of robbery in the first degree (Penal Law § 160.15 [2]). We agree with defendant that the People were required to provide him with a ballistics report concerning the analysis of spent bullet casings found at the scene (see, CPL 240.20 [1] [c]; see also, People v Jenkins, 284 AD2d 550). We conclude, however, that reversal is not required based on the People’s delay in providing him with that report because he was not substantially prejudiced by the delay (see, People v Benitez, 221 AD2d 965, 966, lv denied 87 NY2d 970). We reject defendant’s additional contention that the report constituted Brady material; the information contained in the report was not exculpatory. In any event, even assuming, arguendo, that the report constituted Brady material, we conclude that defendant was provided with the report at a time when he had a meaningful opportunity to use it (see, People v Jackson, 281 AD2d 906, 907, lv denied 96 NY2d 920). We further conclude that Supreme Court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant’s request for a continuance of an unspecified length after the People provided him with the report. Defendant failed to demonstrate that a continuance would produce evidence that would be material and favorable to the defense (see, People v Tillman, 261 AD2d 854, 855, lv denied 93 NY2d 980).
The verdict is not against the weight of the evidence (see, People v Bleakley, 69 NY2d 490, 495). Contrary to defendant’s contention, the fact that the victim has a criminal record did not render his testimony inherently unreliable (see, People v Toro, 272 AD2d 351, lv denied 95 NY2d 970). The resolution of
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.