Regardless of the degree of the crime, Menacing is an extremely serious offense as both a misdemeanor and a felony. Not as serious, but an offense worthy of concern, Harassment in the Second Degree is an arrest charge that should in no way be taken lightly. New York criminal lawyers know that a conviction for either of these offenses will likely leave you reeling for years to come. Because of this, finding legal and evidentiary ways to challenge these arrests are always on the forefront of any defense. The below case is just one example of a legal based approach to these Menacing and Harassment.
The court in People v. Boyette, 2013 NY Slip Op. 23314 addressed the “scope-of-time,” that encompasses an allegation and how it relates to both Menacing and Harassment. In Boyette, the defendant was convicted of, among other things, 2nd Degree Menacing and 2nd Degree Harassment. On appeal, the Appellate Term reversed and dismissed the charges against the defendant.