Opinion
March 9, 2000
Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Edwin Torres, J.), rendered November 10, 19 98, convicting defendant, upon his plea of guilty, of kidnapping in the first degree (two counts) and robbery in the first degree, and sentencing him to concurrent terms of 15 years to life, 15 years to life and 12 to 25 years, unanimously affirmed.
Mindy J. Levinson, for Respondent.
Laura Burde, for Defendant-Appellant.
SULLIVAN, P.J., ELLERIN, LERNER, BUCKLEY, JJ.
Defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea was properly denied. The sentencing court properly exercised its discretion in making no further inquiry about defendant's conclusory claim that he had been coerced by counsel (see, People v. Pemberton, 268 A.D.2d 236 [Jan 6, 2000], 2000 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 53), since the court's familiarity with the circumstances of the plea permitted it to make an informed determination that the claim was groundless.
THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT.