Opinion
April 14, 1989
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Monroe County, Cornelius, J.
Present — Dillon, P.J., Callahan, Green, Pine and Lawton, JJ.
Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: On appeal from his conviction for murder and attempted robbery, defendant contends that the trial court committed reversible error when it admitted, over objection, evidence of the defendant's prior robbery of the same establishment. Immediately after the introduction of this evidence and again during its charge, the court specifically advised the jury that this evidence was not to be considered as direct evidence or evidence of defendant's criminal propensity.
Evidence of uncharged crimes is inadmissible unless it helps to establish an element of the crimes charged or is relevant because of one of the recognized exceptions to this rule (see, People v Alvino, 71 N.Y.2d 233, 241; People v. Molineux, 168 N.Y. 264). Testimony concerning this uncharged crime was relevant in establishing defendant's motive (see, People v. Jackson, 39 N.Y.2d 64, 67-68; People v. Pucci, 77 A.D.2d 916, 917; People v Morales, 75 A.D.2d 745, 746) and his identity (cf., People v Robinson, 68 N.Y.2d 541, 550). Further, because the probative value of this evidence outweighs any potential prejudice, which was minimized by the court's repeated limiting instruction, the trial court properly admitted this evidence (see, People v Ventimiglia, 52 N.Y.2d 350, 359).
The trial court also properly admitted the murdered bar owner's statement during his struggle with one of the armed robbers as an excited utterance (see, People v. Brown, 70 N.Y.2d 513, 519-522; People v. Edwards, 47 N.Y.2d 493, 496-498).