Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. James Brown, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1992-05-21
Citations: 183 A.D.2d 612
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James Brown, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 183
Pages: 612–613

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James Brown, Appellant.

Opinion:
— Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Budd Goodman, J.), rendered February 23, 1990, convicting defendant, in absentia, after a jury trial, of burglary in the second degree, and sentencing him, as a second felony offender, to a term of imprisonment of 7 Vi to 15 years, is unanimously affirmed.
Defendant's conviction is not against the weight of the evidence, given that he was seen breaking into an apartment by a civilian witness and observed inside the apartment by a police officer acquainted with him, and made inculpatory statements en route to the precinct. Nor did the trial court abuse its sentencing discretion (People v Farrar, 52 NY2d 302). Not only should the particular acts by which a crime is committed be taken into account, but also the defendant's character and propensities, here elucidated by a very unfavorable presentence report. It is clear that the court's sentencing decision did not give improper weight to defendant's absence from the trial and sentencing. Concur — Carro, J. P., Kupferman, Asch and Smith, JJ.