Court Opinion

ID: 9740078
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:27:34.212935+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:16.062047
License: Public Domain

Graffeo, J.
(dissenting). I continue to believe that People v *305Suarez (6 NY3d 202 [2005]) was wrongly decided since it deviated significantly from People v Sanchez (98 NY2d 373 [2002]) (see People v Suarez, 6 NY3d at 219 [Graffeo, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part]). Because the majority in this case goes further and overrules Sanchez, I agree with my dissenting colleagues that today’s transformation of the well-settled meaning of “depraved indifference” from an objective factual assessment into a subjective mens rea requirement cannot be reconciled with the language of the reckless endangerment statute or the prior rationale of this Court (see People v Suarez, 6 NY3d at 219-228 [Graffeo, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part]). That being said, my dissenting colleagues have cogently explained why the facts of this case fit within the depraved indifference jurisprudence discussed in Suarez (see id. at 214) and defendant’s conviction should be affirmed on this basis alone.
Judges Rosenblatt, Read and R.S. Smith concur with Judge G.B. Smith; Judge Ciparick dissents and votes to affirm in an opinion in which Chief Judge Kaye concurs; Chief Judge Kaye dissents in another opinion; Judge Graffeo dissents and votes to affirm in a separate opinion.
Order modified, etc.