People v. Wright

2025 NY Slip Op 01957 · Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department · April 2, 2025 · No. Ind. No. 5394/16

Summary

This uncorrected slip opinion from the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, affirms the defendant's convictions for murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and reckless endangerment in the first degree. The court determined that the evidence was legally sufficient and not against the weight of the evidence, emphasizing the defendant's indiscriminate shooting at a crowd. Arguments regarding ineffective assistance of counsel and excessive sentencing were also found to be without merit.

Court
Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Writing for the Court
Colleen D. Duffy, J.P.; Robert J. Miller; Janice A. Taylor; Phillip Hom, JJ.
Jurisdiction
New York
Decision date
April 2, 2025
Docket number
Ind. No. 5394/16
Procedural posture
Appeal from judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County convicting appellant of murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Precedential value
published
Parties
Cheyenne Wright v. People of the State of New York
Disposition
affirmed

Topics

criminal procedureappellate procedureevidenceconstitutional law

Practice areas

criminal procedure

Questions Presented

  1. Whether the evidence was legally sufficient to support the convictions for murder in the second degree and reckless endangerment
  2. Whether the appellant was denied effective assistance of counsel
  3. Whether the sentence imposed was excessive

Holdings

  1. The evidence was legally sufficient; the convictions are affirmed.
  2. The appellant received effective assistance of counsel; the claim is without merit.
  3. The sentence was not excessive.

Key quotations

The evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendant acted with depraved indifference to human life when she shot indiscriminately at a crowd of people, including children. (at 1)

Factual background

The appellant shot indiscriminately into a crowd, including children, resulting in a murder conviction and other offenses. She asserted that the evidence was insufficient and that counsel was ineffective.

Procedural history

The defendant was convicted by the Supreme Court, Kings County on February 28, 2018. She appealed the convictions and sentence to the Appellate Division, Second Department.

Court Document

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