Legal Information Center

There are three separate menacing statutes in New York, each specifying a different gravity of offense. Menacing is often paired with Stalking (Penal Law section 120.45) and Aggravated Harrassment (Penal Law section 240.30) charges, but can be charged as a standalone offense. The basic charge is Menacing in the third degree (Penal Law section 120.15)…

Matthew Galluzzo, a former Manhattan sex-crimes prosecutor, was recently interviewed about former Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno’s contacting of a criminal defense lawyer, and what it might reveal about the emerging child-abuse scandal involving the University. The link to the article online is here.

Of those who are arrested in Manhattan for shoplifting and directed to appear in Midtown Community Court in New York City, we often encounter clients who fail to take the situation they are in seriously. These clients are arrested and issued Desk Appearance Tickets (D.A.T.s) and then released without going through the unpleasant experience of…

On November 8, Matthew Galluzzo appeared Fox 5’s Good Day New York program as a guest legal expert. He was there to comment about the recent verdict in the trial of Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s doctor.

New York’s Penal Law Chapter 150 criminalizes arson and the setting of destructive fires. Generally speaking, the most important factors in determining the severity of any arson charges that might apply to the criminal conduct are: 1) the intent of the perpetrator of the crime, 2) the nature of the property that was damaged, and…

After only nine hours of deliberation, the California jury in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, returned a guilty verdict. Altogether, we’re not surprised. Indeed, we “called it” just minutes before the verdict. The main problem for Dr. Murray was that the evidence against him was damning. Rather than re-iterate all…

Vehicular assault charges are usually added to felony or misdemeanor DWI complaints where there has been an injury to someone other than the driver of the vehicle as a result of an alcohol- or drug-related accident. For example, in People v. Mojica, 62 A.D.3d 100, the defendant allegedly “drove a pickup truck through a red…

Recently, the news media has published numerous reports of corrupt and out-of-control New York police officers. The federal authorities arrested eight current and former police officers for running an illegal gun-running operation, approximately 17 police officers were indicted for a ticket-fixing scandal in the Bronx; another officer was arrested for attempting to steal from a…

Matthew Galluzzo’s client walked out of court happy after Judge Konviser dismissed all charges against him stemming from a Taxi and Limousine Commission (“TLC”) probe alleging he had stolen thousands of dollars from New York City cab riders. After the judge’s ruling, the client’s indictment was dismissed and the matter was permanently sealed.

A conviction for a crime doesn’t have to be the end of your case. A talented and experienced appellate lawyer may be able to find a way to get your conviction overturned or your sentence reduced. Most criminal defense attorneys do not handle appeals or have very little experience doing it. Thus, you should strongly…