THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK RESPONDENT v. ANGEL HILL DEFENDANT APPELLANT (2017)

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed.

Memorandum:  Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting her following a nonjury trial of, inter alia, assault in the third degree (Penal Law § 120.00[1] ).  Defendant's general motion for a trial order of dismissal did not preserve for our review her contentions that the evidence is legally insufficient to establish that the victim sustained a physical injury (see People v. Lewis, 129 AD3d 1546, 1547, lv denied 26 NY3d 969), and that she is liable for the conduct of friends and family members based upon a theory of accessorial liability (see People v. Crawford, 199 A.D.2d 406, 406).  In any event, the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the People (see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620, 621), is legally sufficient to establish that the victim sustained a physical injury within the meaning of Penal Law § 10.00(9) (see People v. Smith, 45 AD3d 1483, 1483, lv denied 10 NY3d 771), and that defendant is liable for the assaultive conduct of others under Penal Law § 20.00 (see People v. Torres, 108 AD3d 474, 475, lv denied 22 NY3d 998).

Inasmuch as the conviction is supported by legally sufficient evidence, defense counsel was not ineffective in failing to preserve defendant's legal sufficiency challenge for our review (see People v. Brown, 96 AD3d 1561, 1562, lv denied 19 NY3d 1024).  With respect to the further alleged instances of ineffectiveness, we conclude that the record as a whole establishes that defense counsel provided meaningful representation (see generally People v. Baldi, 54 N.Y.2d 137, 147;  People v. Carrasquillo, 142 AD3d 1359, 1359).

Finally, the sentence is not unduly harsh or severe.

Frances E. Cafarell

Clerk of the Court