People v. Lawrence

— Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: Defendant was convicted of the attempted robbery and murder of Wallie Howard, a Syracuse police officer, who was posing as a drug purchaser in an undercover buy-bust operation. Defendant was also convicted of assault involving another victim. We reject defendant’s argument that the trial court erred by refusing to give a circumstantial evidence charge in relation to the murder and attempted robbery counts. Where "the circumstances surrounding the crime were established by direct proof in the form of the prosecution witnesses’ testimony, and the…