People v. Laboy

202 A.D.2d 325, 609 N.Y.S.2d 211, 1994 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 2707

Opinion

—Judgment, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Bonnie Wittner, J.), rendered November 17, 1992, convicting defendant, after a jury trial, of manslaughter in the first degree, and sentencing him to a term of 8 Vs to 25 years, unanimously affirmed.

We perceive no abuse of discretion in the court’s limitation of defendant’s attempts to impeach the eyewitness. Specifically, the court’s preclusion of impeachment by means of a "prior inconsistent statement”, the details of which were uncertain and susceptible to distortion, was an appropriate exercise of discretion (People v Duncan, 46 NY2d 74, 81, cert denied 442 US 910).

The court also properly exercised its discretion in preventing the defense summation from straying from the evidence (see, People v Charles, 61 NY2d 321, 329). Finally, the court did not display bias merely because it repeatedly made proper rulings adverse to defendant (see, People v Martinez, 183 AD2d 485). Concur — Rosenberger, J. P., Kupferman, Rubin and Williams, JJ.