Ordered that the judgment is reversed, on the law, the sentence is vacated, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Kings County, for a new trial.
The Supreme Court erroneously instructed the jury on the charge of robbery by defining its elements prior to opening statements (see CPL 260.30, 270.40). The Supreme Court's instructions created the possibility of premature deliberations by the jury (see People v Townsend,
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