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People v. Smith

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 30, 1992
181 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)

Opinion

March 30, 1992

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (G. Goldstein, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant was convicted based upon the identification of the complainant, who had two opportunities to view the defendant on the night of the robbery. Prior to the robbery, the complainant observed the defendant walking towards him for approximately two minutes. Then, during the robbery, the defendant stood beside the complainant in a well-lit area and the complainant observed him for another two minutes.

Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see, People v Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620), we find that it was legally sufficient to establish the defendant's identity as one of the men who robbed the complainant beyond a reasonable doubt. Although the complainant's trial testimony regarding the defendant's height differed from his description to the police, this inconsistency did not render his testimony incredible as a matter of law (see, People v Crowder, 147 A.D.2d 583; People v Di Girolamo, 108 A.D.2d 755). Moreover, upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see, CPL 470.15).

The defendant's contention that the prosecutor's remarks during summation improperly bolstered the complainant's testimony, denigrated the defense, and appealed to the emotions of the jury were not preserved for appellate review, since the defendant either failed to object to the remarks during the trial or failed to request curative instructions after the trial court sustained his objection (see, CPL 470.05; People v Medina, 53 N.Y.2d 951, 953; People v Larsen, 157 A.D.2d 672). In any event, the defendant's contention is without merit. First, the prosecutor's repeated reference to the complainant taking the stand was not improper bolstering of that witness, since it was a fair response to the defense's attack on the complainant's reliability (see, People v Gibbs, 166 A.D.2d 454; People v Rawlings, 144 A.D.2d 500). Further, these remarks did not constitute an improper comment on the defendant's failure to take the stand (see, People v Gilmore, 152 A.D.2d 743). The prosecutor's remarks to the effect that the defense was trying to divert the jury from the complainant's identification was fair comment on the defense's summation. Although the prosecutor's comments that there was "no one willing to help [the complainant]" and "nobody else willing to identify these defendants" did not constitute comments on matters in the record, but rather constituted comments on matters dehors the record, those comments did not prejudice the defendant (see, People v Gilmore, supra; People v Jakes, 181 A.D.2d 913 [decided herewith]).

The sentence imposed was not excessive. Mangano, P.J., Thompson, Bracken and Pizzuto, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Smith

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 30, 1992
181 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
Case details for

People v. Smith

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. COREY SMITH, Also…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Mar 30, 1992

Citations

181 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
582 N.Y.S.2d 447

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