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People v. Robinson

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Dec 26, 1989
156 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)

Opinion

December 26, 1989

Appeal from the County Court, Nassau County (Goodman, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is modified, on the law, by vacating so much of the sentence as requires the defendant to make "restitution" of $6,050; as so modified, the judgment is affirmed, and the matter is remitted to the County Court, Nassau County, for a hearing and a new determination as to whether the defendant should be required to make reparation and, if so, the proper amount and the manner of performance.

By failing to move to withdraw his plea, the defendant failed to preserve for appellate review his challenge to the sufficiency of his factual allocution (see, People v Lopez, 71 N.Y.2d 662). We decline to review the issue in the exercise of our interest of justice jurisdiction.

The defendant's further contention that the imposed indeterminate term of imprisonment violates the constitutional prohibitions against cruel and inhuman treatment (NY Const, art I, § 5; US Const 8th, 14th Amends) is also not preserved for appellate review (see, People v Perez, 150 A.D.2d 395; People v Albano, 124 A.D.2d 739, 740). "In any event, ordinarily a sentence that is within statutory limits does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment absent exceptional circumstances" (People v Albano, supra, at 740; People v Roberts, 144 A.D.2d 395). In this case, there are no exceptional circumstances warranting appellate modification of the term of imprisonment which was in compliance with the terms of the negotiated plea bargain, and less than the statutory maximum.

However, we do agree with the defendant that the provision of the sentence which directed the payment of reparation (incorrectly denoted as restitution) in the sum of $6,050 must be vacated. In determining the proper amount of reparation, "[t]he sentencing court acted properly in employing the Probation Department as a preliminary fact finder to determine the appropriate amount" (People v Barnes, 135 A.D.2d 825, 826; see, People v Fuller, 57 N.Y.2d 152, 156). However, the presentence Probation Department report did not provide a sufficient basis upon which to calculate a proper reparation figure without a hearing (see, People v Millar, 144 A.D.2d 1032; People v Barnes, supra; cf., People v Turco, 130 A.D.2d 785). Nor was "due consideration * * * given to whether the defendant ha[d] the ability to pay" (People v Barnes, supra, at 826). Accordingly, the matter is remitted for a hearing as to whether the defendant should be required to make reparation and, if so, the proper amount and the manner of performance. Mollen, P.J., Lawrence, Kooper and Harwood, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Robinson

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Dec 26, 1989
156 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
Case details for

People v. Robinson

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. PAUL NAPOLEON…

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

Date published: Dec 26, 1989

Citations

156 A.D.2d 731 (N.Y. App. Div. 1989)
549 N.Y.S.2d 484

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