People v. Coggins (Tonie) — N.Y. Ct. App. (argued May 20, 2026)
The New York Court of Appeals considers whether seven witnesses could testify about a surveillance video that no longer existed. Tonie Coggins was convicted of third-degree assault after a fight that left another woman blind in one eye; the Appellate Division upheld the conviction. The building's video was overwritten, and a police officer's cellphone copy was lost during a phone upgrade. Under New York's best evidence rule, testimony about a missing original is allowed only if the loss is adequately explained and not caused in bad faith, and if the substitute reliably and accurately portrays the original.
People v. Coggins (Tonie) (No. 57) — New York Court of Appeals, argued May 20, 2026.
Sources
Argument video — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0OyO3SfFMk
Oral-argument archive — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/OA-Archives.htm
Argument transcript — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/arguments/2026/May26/Transcripts/052026-57-Oral-Argument-Transcript.pdf
May 20 argument calendar — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/calendar/2026/Daily/CAL052026.pdf
Case summary — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.nycourts.gov/CTAPPs/summaries/Session/2026/May19-21.pdf
Case issue statement — New York Court of Appeals:https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/calendar/2026/monthly/May26CaseIssues.pdf
Appellate Division decision:https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2025/2025_01881.htm
Court of Appeals decision:https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/current/3dseries/2026/2026_03912.shtml
Schozer v. William Penn Life Insurance decision:https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/court-of-appeals/1994/84-n-y-2d-639-0.html
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:48Samuel Barr
- 15:58Peter Rienzi