People v Letang

Holding The conviction for criminal possession of a controlled substance was affirmed because the evidence was not against the weight of the evidence and the trial court properly admitted the narcotics despite chain of custody gaps. The court also properly precluded evidence of prior sales by another person and denied the motion to reopen the Mapp hearing based on conclusory allegations.

The court’s words

The verdict was not against the weight of the evidence

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text

provided reasonable assurances of the identity and unchanged condition of the narcotics evidence

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text

logical explanations for the inconsistencies [were] provided, or can reasonably be inferred from the surrounding circumstances

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text

Evidence of these prior sales by another person has little or no probative value

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text

Defendant's motion for a Mapp hearing was supported by only conclusory allegations

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text

the police handcuffed defendant upon entering the apartment to execute a search warrant, which did not constitute an arrest

2026 NY Slip Op 06072, at the official text