People v. Tapia

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Del Giudice, J.), rendered September 16, 2013, convicting him of robbery in the first degree, upon a jury verdict, and sentencing him to a determinate term of imprisonment of 10 years, to be followed by a period of 5 years of postrelease supervision.

*939 Ordered that the judgment is modified, as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice, by reducing the sentence imposed from a determinate term of imprisonment of 10 years, to be followed by a period of 5 years of postrelease supervision, to a determinate term of imprisonment of 7 years, to be followed by a period of 5 years of postrelease supervision; as so modified, the judgment is affirmed.

In fulfilling our responsibility to conduct an independent review of the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15 [5]; People v Danielson, 9 NY3d 342, 348-349 [2007]), we accord great deference to the jury’s opportunity to view the witnesses, hear the testimony, and observe demeanor (see People v Mateo, 2 NY3d 383, 410 [2004]; People v Bleakley, 69 NY2d 490, 495 [1987]). 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 NY3d 633 [2006]; People v Schouenborg, 42 AD3d 473, 473-474 [2007]).

However, the sentence imposed was excessive to the extent indicated herein.