People v. Cuthbertson
The defendant was convicted of murder in the second degree after a jury trial and sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment of 15 years to life, which was unanimously affirmed by the Supreme Court, New York County. The defendant claimed self-defense in the shooting death of Samuel Walker, an alleged assailant who had previously attempted to rob the defendant. Witnesses testified that the defendant entered a restaurant armed with a shotgun, ordered others out, and then fired multiple shots at Walker. The court's jury instructions regarding provocation and self-defense were upheld as pertinent and accurate. The court also found that the claim of an erroneous charge on provocation was unpreserved and lacked merit, and the jury's exposure to a reference to an unproduced witness did not warrant a reversal.