Opinion Excerpt

People v Mears 2026 NY Slip Op 06237 October 27, 2026 Court of Appeals Halligan, J. Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This decision is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports. The People & c., Respondent, v Stephen Mears, Appellant. Decided on October 27, 2026 No. 80 Matthew Brissenden, for appellant. Shiry Gaash, for respondent. Halligan, J. [*1] Following a physical altercation with his girlfriend's fifteen-year-old