Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. James D. Walker, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2004-11-19
Citations: 12 A.D.3d 1107
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James D. Walker, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 12
Pages: 1107–1108

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v James D. Walker, Appellant.
[784 NYS2d 444]

Opinion:
Appeal from a judgment of the Monroe County Court (Patricia D. Marks, J.), rendered April 24, 2002. The judgment convicted defendant, upon a jury verdict, of murder in the first degree.
It is hereby ordered that the judgment so appealed from be and the same hereby is unanimously affirmed.
Memorandum: The verdict finding defendant guilty of murder in the first degree (Penal Law § 125.27 [1] [a] [vii]; [b]) and rejecting his affirmative defense that he was acting "under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance" when he slit the victim's throat is not contrary to the weight of the evidence (§ 125.27 [2] [a]; see People v George, 7 AD3d 810 [2004]; see generally People v Roche, 98 NY2d 70, 75-76 [2002]). In view of the brutal and senseless nature of the crime, the sentence of life imprisonment without parole is not unduly harsh or severe. Present—Green, J.P., Hurlbutt, Kehoe, Gorski and Hayes, JJ.