People v. Priester

— Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Rensselaer County (Dwyer, Jr., J.), rendered January 19,1981, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crime of manslaughter in the first degree. Defendant was indicted for the crime of murder in the second degree. It was alleged that defendant, with intent to cause the death of Ozzie “Junior” Gardner, caused his death on or about June 29, 1979 by shooting him with a shotgun. The People contended that defendant shot and killed the victim intentionally. Defendant contended that the shooting was an accident. Defendant maintained that he had…