Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Ricky Sellars, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1997-02-06
Citations: 236 A.D.2d 228
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Ricky Sellars, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 236
Pages: 228–228

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Ricky Sellars, Appellant.
[654 NYS2d 285]

Opinion:
—Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Jerome Hornblass, J.), rendered June 1, 1994, convicting defendant, after a jury trial, of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, and sentencing him, as a persistent violent felony offender, to a term of 7 years to life, unanimously reversed, on the law, and the matter remanded for a new trial.
As the People concede, reversal is required because the court improperly ruled that the prosecutor could question defendant about unrelated pending criminal charges (see, People v Betts, 70 NY2d 289, 292-295). Contrary to the court's ruling, this evidence was not admissible on the issue of intent. Accordingly, we remand the matter for a new trial. Concur—Wallach, J. P., Nardelli, Williams and Tom, JJ.