| People v McLaurin |
| 2008 NY Slip Op 00540 [47 AD3d 843] |
| January 22, 2008 |
| Appellate Division, Second Department |
| The People of the State of New York,Respondent, v Christopher McLaurin, Appellant. |
—[*1] Charles J. Hynes, District Attorney, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Leonard Joblove, Victor Barall, andSheldon Pollock of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Feldman, J.),rendered June 30, 2006, convicting him of assault in the second degree, upon a jury verdict, andimposing sentence.
Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.
The Supreme Court properly granted the People's reverse-Batson application (seeBatson v Kentucky, 476 US 79 [1986]). The record supports the court's finding of pretextwith regard to the prospective juror at issue and that finding is entitled to great deference (seePeople v Hernandez, 75 NY2d 350 [1990]). Although defense counsel provided arace-neutral reason for challenging the juror, the record establishes that defense counsel did notchallenge another juror with a similar background (see People v Quito, 43 AD3d 411 [2007]). Accordingly, thechallenged juror was properly seated.
The defendant's contention that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel is withoutmerit. A review of the circumstances in totality as of the time of the representation reveals thatthe defendant was afforded meaningful representation (see People v Henry, 95 NY2d563, 565 [2000]; People v Baldi, 54 NY2d 137, 147 [1981]). Ritter, J.P., Florio,McCarthy and Dickerson, JJ., concur.