Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. James Richard Johnson, Appellant
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1979-12-13
Citations: 48 N.Y.2d 925
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James Richard Johnson, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 48
Pages: 925–926

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James Richard Johnson, Appellant.
Argued November 16, 1979;
decided December 13, 1979
APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL
James M. Barber for appellant.
Patrick D. Monserrate, District Attorney (Joseph P. Pessolaro and Gary L. Sharpe of counsel), for respondent.

Opinion:
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.
The circumstances of defendant's flight from and apprehension by the police investigating the burglary charge supported the inference that he had possessed the drugs found sandwiched between his wallet and notebook under a couch cushion at the scene of the arrest. Thus, proof of the burglary "would be material and admissible as evidence in chief upon a trial of' the possession count (CPL 200.20, subd 2, par [b]). We cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to sever these intimately connected crimes for trial (cf. People v Monger, 24 NY2d 445, 449).
Chief Judge Cooke and Judges Jasen, Gabrielli, Jones, Wachtler, Fuchsberg and Meyer concur.
Order affirmed in a memorandum.