Anthony Bonneau filed an appeal after a Greene County jury convicted him of grand larceny in the third degree for allegedly purloining $27,000 from a customer.
Bonneau, an auctioneer, agreed to sell several pieces of artwork, and after completing the sale deposited the money into his business account and used the proceeds to pay his bills and expenses.
Although Bonneau argued he wasn't guilty of "larceny," because he hadn't intended to deprive his customer of the cash, the Appellate Division, Third Department, wasn't buying any of that. It was of the view Bonneau's "dominion and control" over his client's funds evidenced a wrongful motive. (It also found no error in allowing the jury to hear about the Bonneau's criminal past, particularly since he had claimed to be an "honest businessman.")
Gone!
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: People v. Bonneau