People v. Alexis

The record establishes that defendant was mentally competent at the time of trial (see Pate v Robinson, 383 US 375 [1966]). The court’s determination that defendant was fit to proceed is entitled to great weight on appeal, given the conflicting medical testimony at the competency hearing (see People v McMillan, 212 AD2d 445 [1995], lv denied 85 NY2d 976 [1995]). The record supports the court’s decision to credit the People’s psychiatrists, who found defendant competent.

Neither defendant’s brief psychiatric hospitalization two months after the competency determination nor his behavior at trial…