Case ID: ad2d_232/html/0666-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Donald Sider, Appellant.
    [649 NYS2d 455]
   —Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Cooperman, J.), rendered April 27, 1995, convicting him of kidnapping in the second degree and rape in the first degree, upon his plea of guilty, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

We find no merit to the defendant’s contentions that he should have been permitted to withdraw his plea of guilty, and that the court should have appointed new counsel. The decision to permit the withdrawal of a plea of guilty rests within the sound discretion of the court (see, CPL 220.60 [3]; People v Ochoa, 179 AD2d 689). The defendant’s unsupported, conclusory allegation of innocence at sentencing did not warrant vacatur of his plea (see, People v McDowell, 198 AD2d 236; People v Bourdonnay, 160 AD2d 1014). In addition, the defendant’s plea was knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily entered (see, People v Harris, 61 NY2d 9). Moreover, there is no right of choice between court-appointed counsel. While courts have a duty to carefully evaluate complaints concerning court-appointed counsel, an indigent’s request that a court assign new counsel should not be granted casually (see, People v Sawyer, 57 NY2d 12, 18-19, cert denied 459 US 1178; People v Cunningham, 134 AD2d 273). The defendant’s bald assertion that his confidence in court-appointed counsel was lacking because an investigator was not hired was insufficient to justify a substitution.

Finally, by validly waiving his right to appeal, the defendant waived his right to challenge the excessiveness of his sentence (see, People v Allen, 82 NY2d 761). In any event, the defendant has no basis to now complain that his sentence was excessive (see, People v Kazepis, 101 AD2d 816). Bracken, J. P., Copertino, Joy, Florio and McGinity, JJ., concur.