People v. Pointer , 677 N.Y.S.2d 582 ( 1998 )


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  • Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Steinhart, J.), rendered August 8, 1995, convicting him of attempted murder in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

    Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

    It is well settled that a defendant in a lineup need not be surrounded by individuals nearly identical in appearance (see, People v Chipp, 75 NY2d 327, cert denied 498 US 833; People v Gelzer, 224 AD2d 443; People v Baptiste, 201 AD2d 659). To the contrary, the fillers in a lineup need only be reasonably similar to the defendant in appearance (see, People v Gelzer, supra; People v Pinckney, 220 AD2d 539). Skin tone is only one of the factors to be considered in deciding “reasonable similarity” (People v Miller, 199 AD2d 422, 423) and differences in skin tone alone will not render a lineup unduly suggestive (see, People v Miller, supra; People v Chipp, supra; People v Henderson, 170 AD2d 532). As the defendant failed to demonstrate that there was a substantial likelihood of misidentification, there is no basis to disturb the hearing court’s determination that the lineup procedure was not tainted by suggestiveness (see, People v Singleton, 222 AD2d 719; People v Jacobi, 159 AD2d 308).

    *501Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v Contes, 60 NY2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15 [5]).

    The sentence imposed was neither harsh nor excessive (see, People v Suitte, 90 AD2d 80).

    The defendant’s remaining contentions, including those raised in his supplemental pro se brief, are without merit. O’Brien, J. P., Santucci, Krausman and Goldstein, JJ., concur.

Document Info

Citation Numbers: 253 A.D.2d 500, 677 N.Y.S.2d 582

Filed Date: 8/17/1998

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 1/13/2022