People v. Cruz

Defendant’s ineffective assistance claims primarily involve matters outside the record concerning counsel’s strategic choices and defendant’s input into those choices (see People v Love, 57 NY2d 998 [1982]). Although defendant raised these claims in an unsuccessful CEL 440.10 motion, defendant’s motion for leave to appeal to this Court was denied {see CPL 450.15 [1]; 460.15). Accordingly, while defendant’s claims are cognizable on direct appeal, our review is limited to the trial record (see People v Evans, 16 NY3d 571, 575 [2011]). To the extent the trial record permits review, we conclude…