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People v. Walls

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
May 7, 1998
697 N.E.2d 177 (N.Y. 1998)

Opinion

Argued March 26, 1998

Decided May 7, 1998

Appeal from Supreme Court, Kings County (Reinaldo E. Rivera, J.)

Paul Skip Laisure, New York City, and Lynn W.L. Fahey for appellant.

Charles J. Hynes, District Attorney of Kings County, Brooklyn ( Melissa S. Horlick and Roseann B. MacKechnie of counsel), for respondent.


OPINION OF THE COURT

MEMORANDUM.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

Defendant was found guilty, after a jury trial, of robbery in the first degree and attempted robbery in the first degree. On his appeal to the Appellate Division, defendant contended that the trial court committed reversible error when it refused to grant his request that the jury be given an interested witness instruction (see, People v Agosto, 73 N.Y.2d 963, 967; 1 CJI[NY] 7.03; see also, People v Le Mieux, 51 N.Y.2d 981; CPL 300.10). In unanimously affirming the judgment of conviction, that Court held that defendant's contention was unpreserved for appellate review ( 240 A.D.2d 686). We agree.

As a general proposition, a defendant need not submit specific proposed language, either orally or in writing, to accompany a request for a jury instruction ( see generally, People v Leisner, 73 N.Y.2d 140, 147-148; compare, People v Celestino, 201 A.D.2d 91, 97). Under the circumstances of this case, however, defendant's failure to specify to the trial court on the record the particular witness for which the instruction was requested, although given an opportunity to do so, renders defendant's claim of error unreviewable here ( see, CPL 470.05; compare, People v Karabinas, 63 N.Y.2d 871, 872, cert denied 470 U.S. 1087; People v Loines, 197 A.D.2d 351, lv denied 82 N.Y.2d 926).

Chief Judge KAYE and Judges TITONE, BELLACOSA, SMITH, LEVINE, CIPARICK and WESLEY concur.

Order affirmed in a memorandum.


Summaries of

People v. Walls

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
May 7, 1998
697 N.E.2d 177 (N.Y. 1998)
Case details for

People v. Walls

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. TOBIAS WALLS, Appellant

Court:Court of Appeals of the State of New York

Date published: May 7, 1998

Citations

697 N.E.2d 177 (N.Y. 1998)
697 N.E.2d 177
674 N.Y.S.2d 276

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