N.Y. Laws » CHAPTER Penal / PART Specific Offenses / TITLE Offenses Against Public Administration / ARTICLE Escape and Other Offenses Relating to Custody
New York Consolidated Laws

N.Y. Penal Law § 205.50 (2026)

Hindering prosecution; definition of term

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 205.50 Hindering prosecution; definition of term.
  As used in sections 205.55, 205.60 and 205.65, a person "renders
criminal assistance" when, with intent to prevent, hinder or delay the
discovery or apprehension of, or the lodging of a criminal charge
against, a person who he knows or believes has committed a crime or is
being sought by law enforcement officials for the commission of a crime,
or with intent to assist a person in profiting or benefiting from the
commission of a crime, he:
  1. Harbors or conceals such person; or
  2. Warns such person of impending discovery or apprehension; or
  3. Provides such person with money, transportation, weapon, disguise
or other means of avoiding discovery or apprehension; or
  4. Prevents or obstructs, by means of force, intimidation or
deception, anyone from performing an act which might aid in the
discovery or apprehension of such person or in the lodging of a criminal
charge against him; or
  5. Suppresses, by any act of concealment, alteration or destruction,
any physical evidence which might aid in the discovery or apprehension
of such person or in the lodging of a criminal charge against him; or
  6. Aids such person to protect or expeditiously profit from an
advantage derived from such crime.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 21 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1976–2025 · leading case: The People v. Kevin Fisher, 71 N.E.3d 932 (NY 2017).
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The People v. Kevin Fisher, 71 N.E.3d 932 (NY 2017). “Such an outcome would undermine the purpose of the statute: to hold accountable those who successfully or unsuccessfully interfere and to discourage such conduct (see Penal Law § 205.50). Additionally, in cases where the assisted person is being prosecuted, a defendant charged…”
People v. Chico, 687 N.E.2d 1288 (NY 1997). · cites it 2× “20): (1) rendering criminal assistance (as defined by Penal Law § 205.50); (2) the commission of a class A felony by the person assisted; and (3) the defendant’s knowledge or belief that the felon engaged in the aforesaid criminal conduct.”
People v. Williams, 20 A.D.3d 72 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005). · cites it 5× “In this appeal by the People from Supreme Court’s dismissal of the indictment on the ground of legally insufficient evidence, we must decide whether the defendant’s failure to disclose the identity of a robber to the police immediately after witnessing the robbery, standing…”
State v. Budik, 272 P.3d 816 (Wash. 2012). “The provision in the New York Penal Law prohibits the prevention or obstruction of acts that “might aid in the discovery or apprehension of [another] person or in the lodging of a criminal charge against him” N.”
Thomas Palermo & Sheldon Saltzman v. Warden, Green Haven State Prison, & Russell Oswald, 545 F.2d 286 (2d Cir. 1976). “Personal Property Law § 252 (McKinney’s 1976); N.Y. Penal Law §§ 205.50 (1), (4), (5), 205.”
People v. Del Pilar, 177 A.D.2d 642 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991). · cites it 3× “50 [2]), or allow Jerez to avoid discovery or apprehension (Penal Law § 205.50 [3]), the defendant still provided Jerez with the "means” of avoiding discovery or apprehension (Penal Law § 205.”
People v. Dolan, 172 A.D.2d 68 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991). “It is clear that the intervention directed by defendant served no function other than an attempt to hinder and obstruct police efforts to prosecute the target (Penal Law § 205.50 [4]). Again, viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the People, a rational trier of fact…”
People v. DeBeer, 35 A.D.3d 1275 (N.Y. App. Div. 2006). “Hindering prosecution “is a crime that by its nature may be committed either by one act or by multiple acts and readily permits characterization as a continuing offense over a period of time” (People v Keindl, 68 NY2d 410, 421 [1986], rearg denied 69 NY2d 823 [1987]; see Penal…”
People v. Bacote, 107 A.D.3d 641 (N.Y. App. Div. 2013). “00), rather than as acting as an accessory after the fact, now known as hindering prosecution (see Penal Law § 205.50). Defendant’s theory that he never expected his companion to commit the robbery and never intended to participate, but suddenly agreed to help his companion…”
People v. Vataj, 121 A.D.2d 756 (N.Y. App. Div. 1986). “The question presented then is whether conduct, which possibly subjected the witness to prosecution for hindering prosecution (see, Penal Law § 205.50 [5] [suppression or alteration of evidence]) renders the witness an accomplice for the purpose of requiring corroboration of his…”
People v. Ferreira, 10 Misc. 3d 441 (N.Y. City Crim. Ct. 2005). “After the robbery, the defendant called ,the police and gave a description of the robber but neglected to tell the police that she recognized him as her boyfriend.”
People v. Barreras, 618 P.2d 704 (Colo. Ct. App. 1980). “5 (Proposed Official Draft 1962); N.Y. Penal Law §§ 205.50 , 205.55, 205.60 and 205.”
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