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(defendant's sentence stands)CriminalCourt of AppealsAppeal

People v. Callahan

Court
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
Decided
Sep 30, 2026
Docket
2023-12099
Judges
Not listed
Cited as2026 NY Slip Op 05550
Detailed analysis & 3-line summary

AI breakdown

Analyzed Oct 2, 2026

Where this case stands

  1. Supreme Court, Kings County: sentenced the defendant after a guilty plea.

  2. This decision · Appeal

    (defendant's sentence stands)

TL;DR

  1. 1The case is about whether a defendant can challenge his sentence after waiving his appeal rights.
  2. 2The court decided that the appeal waiver blocked any review of the sentence's harshness.
  3. 3This means once rights are waived knowingly, the decision generally stands.

Key issues

  1. 1

    Can the defendant’s sentence be reviewed if he waived his right to appeal?

    Holding · The court held that the appeal waiver precludes any review, as it was made knowingly and voluntarily.

Why it matters

This affects defendants who waive appeal rights. Once waived knowingly, they usually cannot challenge their sentence.

The AI breakdown is a reading aid, not legal advice. Always check the opinion for the exact wording.

If you were the judge?

Can a sentence be challenged if appeal rights were waived?

  1. 1The defendant pleaded guilty and got a sentence.
  2. 2He thinks the sentence is too harsh, even after agreeing not to appeal.
  3. 3Now it's up to the court to decide if his waiver blocks any review.

Can the defendant challenge his sentence after waiving appeal rights?

Be the first juror

Parties

  • Prosecution

    People

  • Appellee

    Callahan

Roles are inferred from the case caption.

Opinion of the court
People v Callahan 2026 NY Slip Op 05550 September 30, 2026 Appellate Division, Second Department Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This decision is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports. The People of the State of New York, respondent, v Rayquan Callahan, appellant. Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department Decided on September 30, 2026 2023-12099, (Ind. No. 71850/23) Angela G. Iannacci, J.P. Paul Wooten Lillian Wan Donna-Marie E. Golia Lisa S. Ottley, JJ. Patricia Pazner, New York, NY (Alina R. Tulloch of counsel), for appellant. Eric Gonzalez, District Attorney, Brooklyn, NY (Leonard Joblove and Michael Bierce of counsel; Caleb Otero on the memorandum), for respondent. [*1] DECISION & ORDER Appeal by the defendant, as limited by his motion, from a sentence of the Supreme Court, Kings County (E. Niki Warin, J.), imposed November 15, 2023, upon his plea of guilty, on the ground that the sentence was excessive. ORDERED that the sentence is affirmed. The record demonstrates that the defendant knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived his right to appeal (see People v Thomas, 34 NY3d 545; People v Lopez, 6 NY3d 248). The defendant's valid waiver of his right to appeal precludes appellate review of his contention that the sentenced imposed was excessive (see People v Lopez, 6 NY3d 255). IANNACCI, J.P., WOOTEN, WAN, GOLIA and OTTLEY, JJ., concur. ENTER: Darrell M. Joseph Clerk of the Court
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