Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Michael Verdal, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2003-10-14
Citations: 309 A.D.2d 596
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Michael Verdal, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 309
Pages: 596–596

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Michael Verdal, Appellant.
[765 NYS2d 512]

Opinion:
Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Marcy Kahn, J.), rendered November 13, 2000, convicting defendant, after a jury trial, of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, and sentencing him, as a second felony offender, to a term of 5 to 10 years, unanimously affirmed.
The verdict was based on legally sufficient evidence and was not against the weight of the evidence. There is no basis for disturbing the jury's determinations concerning credibility (see People v Gaimari, 176 NY 84, 94 [1903]). The evidence, which included defendant's own remark that he was operating a drug "business," clearly established his participation in the sale (see People v Bello, 92 NY2d 523 [1998]).
Defendant's challenges to the People's summation are unpreserved and we decline to review them in the interest of justice. Were we to review these claims, we would find that the challenged remarks constituted fair comment on the evidence, including the self-incriminating statement made by defendant during the transaction (see People v Overlee, 236 AD2d 133 [1997], lv denied 91 NY2d 976 [1998]). Concur — Nardelli, J.P., Mazzarelli, Andrias, Marlow and Gonzalez, JJ.