N.Y. Laws » CHAPTER Penal / PART Specific Offenses / TITLE Offenses Against the Person Involving Physical Injury, Sexual Conduct, Restraint and Intimidation / ARTICLE Assault and Related Offenses
New York Consolidated Laws

N.Y. Penal Law § 120.20 (2026)

Reckless endangerment in the second degree

✓ text as retrieved May 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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§ 120.20 Reckless endangerment in the second degree.
  A person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the second degree when
he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of
serious physical injury to another person.
  Reckless endangerment in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 258 cases (35 in the last 5 years), 1984–2026 · leading case: People v. Feingold, 852 N.E.2d 1163 (N.Y. 2006).
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People v. Feingold, 852 N.E.2d 1163 (N.Y. 2006). · cites it 4× “[3] Penal Law § 120.20 reads, "A person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the second degree when he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.”
People v. Galatro, 639 N.E.2d 7 (N.Y. 1994). · cites it 10× “The issue presented by this appeal is whether the Grand Jury evidence is legally sufficient to support the charge of reckless endangerment in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.20). We agree with the Appellate Division that it is.”
Matter of Lashlee v. Lashlee, 145 A.D.3d 723 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep't 2016). · cites it 3× “Here, the Family Court properly granted that branch of the children’s motion which was pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (7) to dismiss so much of the petition as alleged that the mother committed acts constituting the family offense of reckless endangerment in the second degree (see…”
People v. Baker, 926 N.E.2d 240 (N.Y. 2010). “With respect to the September 12th incident, defendant was indicted for endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.20). At the People’s request, County Court later dismissed the charge of endangering the welfare of a child…”
In re Tatiana N., 73 A.D.3d 186 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2010). · cites it 2× ““A person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the *192 second degree when [s]he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person” (Penal Law § 120.20). “A person acts . . .”
People v. Litto, 872 N.E.2d 848 (N.Y. 2007). “10), reckless endangerment in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.20), reckless driving (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1212), operating a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 [3]), four counts of assault in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.”
United States v. Legros, 529 F.3d 470 (2d Cir. 2008). “” N.Y. Penal Law § 120.20 . “A person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the first degree,” a felony, “when, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to another person.”
Matter of Porter v. Moore, 149 A.D.3d 1082 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep't 2017). “However, contrary to the Family Court’s findings, the petitioner failed to establish by a fair preponderance of the evidence that the appellant committed the family offense of reckless endangerment, since the appellant’s actions did not create a substantial risk of serious…”
Keyes v. City of Albany, 594 F. Supp. 1147 (N.D.N.Y. 1984). · cites it 2× “Keyes for the crime of reckless endangerment in the second degree, a violent offense punishable by one year imprisonment under the provisions of N.Y. Penal Law § 120.20 , 6 and they sought to arrest him for that crime.”
James Bethea v. Roy Girdich, 293 F.3d 577 (2d Cir. 2002). “On March 10, 1999, Bethea was sentenced to concurrent indeterminate terms of imprisonment for seven years to fourteen years for each of his offenses.”
Zannelli v. Walker, 27 A.D.3d 460 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep't 2006). · cites it 3× “The Supreme Court properly denied that branch of the motion of the defendant John Walker which was to dismiss the complaint on the ground that the plaintiff is precluded from recovery because the injuries she sustained resulted from her own violation of Penal Law § 120.”
The People v. Terrance Williams, 26 N.E.3d 1160 (N.Y. 2015). · cites it 2× “By decision and order dated August 10, 2012, Supreme Court reduced the count of first-degree reckless endangerment to second-degree reckless endangerment (Penal Law § 120.20), and otherwise denied defendant's motion.”
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