Seneca Falls gang assault conviction upheld

On May 6, 2011, the Appellate Division of N.Y.S. Supreme Court in Rochester affirmed the convictions of Seneca Falls gang assault defendants Marvin Snyder and William Meacham. In separate decisions, the Appellate Division Court sided with Seneca County District Attorney Barry Porsch on the 12 issues raised by the defendants.In December 2009, Snyder and Meacham were convicted after a jury trial of gang assault in the first degree after attacking Adrian Porter on September 26, 2008 at the Hunter’s Run apartment complex on Peterman Road in Seneca Falls. Seneca County Court Judge Dennis Bender sentenced Snyder and Meacham to 13 years and 14 years, respectively, in State prison. Porter was brutally attacked after he posted William Meacham’s registered sex offender photograph at the apartment complex.On appeal, Snyder’s attorney, Charles Greenberg of Buffalo, had argued that the county court improperly consolidated the indictments for a joint trial, the conviction is not supported by sufficient evidence, Snyder’s actions were justified, the court erred in not granting a mistrial, the court erred in not granting Snyder’s motion to set aside the verdict, and the sentence is excessive.Meacham’s attorney, John Tyo of Shortsville, had argued that the evidence was legally insufficient to support the conviction, the verdict was against the weight of the evidence, the county court’s jury charge was improper, the court improperly penalized Meacham for exercising his right to a trial, and the sentence is unduly harsh.District Attorney Porsch argued against the defendants’ appeals and submitted a 2,000 page record for the Court’s review.Tyo and Greenberg indicated that their clients will take a further appeal to New York’s highest court, the N.Y. Court of Appeals, in Albany. Porsch said he will vigorously oppose the defendants’ claims at the Court of Appeals.