People v. Prial

Fahey and Sconiers, JJ.

(dissenting). We respectfully dissent inasmuch as we agree with defendant that the sentence of imprisonment imposed is unduly harsh and severe. Although defendant was convicted of a class B felony, her crime is a nonviolent one that arises from her sale of five morphine pills to a confidential informant for a total of $50. Defendant has a criminal history that, albeit lengthy, includes no prior felony convictions. We note that the record reflects that defendant’s former husband was a codefendant who was charged with the same crimes as defendant with respect to the drug transaction at issue but who received a much more lenient sentence than did defendant. Even considering defendant’s multiple failures to complete drug court treatment, we cannot conclude that what amounts to a sentence of five years of incarceration for the sale of five morphine pills is just under the circumstances of this case. We would therefore modify the judgment as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice by reducing the sentence of imprisonment to a determinate term of two years of incarceration, to be followed by the two years of postrelease supervision imposed by County Court.

Present — Smith, J.E, Fahey, Peradotto, Sconiers and Valentino, JJ.