People v. Williams

Full title: The PEOPLE, etc., respondent, v. Karl WILLIAMS, appellant.

Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

Date published: Jul 18, 2012

97 A.D.3d 768 (N.Y. App. Div. 2012)

948 N.Y.S.2d 422

2012 N.Y. Slip Op. 5663

Opinion

2012-07-18

The PEOPLE, etc., respondent, v. Karl WILLIAMS, appellant.

Lynn W. L. Fahey, New York, N.Y. (Leila Hull of counsel), for appellant. Richard A. Brown, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, N.Y. (John M. Castellano, Ellen C. Abbot, and Carla L. Cheung of counsel), for respondent.

REINALDO E. RIVERA

Lynn W. L. Fahey, New York, N.Y. (Leila Hull of counsel), for appellant. Richard A. Brown, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, N.Y. (John M. Castellano, Ellen C. Abbot, and Carla L. Cheung of counsel), for respondent.
REINALDO E. RIVERA, J.P., ANITA R. FLORIO, RANDALL T. ENG, and SHERI S. ROMAN, JJ.

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Braun, J.), rendered March 8, 2011, convicting him of robbery in the second degree (two counts), attempted robbery in the second degree (two counts), criminal possession of stolen propertyin the fifth degree, and unlawful sale or possession of an air pistol or rifle, after a nonjury trial, and imposing sentence.

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution ( see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 467 N.Y.S.2d 349, 454 N.E.2d 932), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt ( seePenal Law § 160.00; People v. Samuel, 84 A.D.3d 841, 922 N.Y.S.2d 793;People v. Barksdale, 50 A.D.3d 400, 401, 858 N.Y.S.2d 5;People v. Green, 277 A.D.2d 82, 83, 716 N.Y.S.2d 22). Moreover, in fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence ( seeCPL 470.15[5]; People v. Danielson, 9 N.Y.3d 342, 849 N.Y.S.2d 480, 880 N.E.2d 1), we nevertheless accord great deference to the factfinder's opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor ( see People v. Mateo, 2 N.Y.3d 383, 410, 779 N.Y.S.2d 399, 811 N.E.2d 1053,cert. denied542 U.S. 946, 124 S.Ct. 2929, 159 L.Ed.2d 828;People v. Bleakley, 69 N.Y.2d 490, 495, 515 N.Y.S.2d 761, 508 N.E.2d 672). Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence ( see People v. Romero, 7 N.Y.3d 633, 826 N.Y.S.2d 163, 859 N.E.2d 902).