People v. Heidgen

Contrary to the defendant’s contention, he failed to preserve for appellate review his claim that his Alford plea (see North Carolina v Alford, 400 US 25 [1970]) was invalid because it was involuntary and because the record did not contain sufficient proof of guilt, insofar as the defendant did not move to withdraw the plea (People v Bunn, 79 AD3d 1143 [2010]; People v Harris, 79 AD3d 1069 [2010]; People v Higgs, 266 AD2d 233 [1999]). In any event, the plea was voluntary, inasmuch as the County Court ensured that the defendant discussed the plea with his counsel, understood the ramifications…