People v. Beliard

*1237Initially, defendant argues that the charges against him were improperly consolidated with those against Joseph as they involved two different victims and thus did not constitute “the same criminal transaction” (CPL 200.40 [1] [c]; see CPL 40.10 [2]; 200.40 [2]). In this regard, the People contended that defendant and Joseph met the two victims on the street and lured them together to Joseph’s apartment, where, in the same place and at the same time, defendant assaulted the victim while Joseph assaulted the younger victim. The accounts given by the victims of these events and the aftermath…