Liability in a group
New York's criminal law does not use the term battery; assault covers conduct that many states call battery. When several people take part, each may be charged for what the group did if prosecutors claim they acted together with a shared intent. Mere presence at the scene, or being friends with someone who threw a punch, is generally not enough by itself. New York also has a separate gang assault offense for serious injuries caused with the help of others who were actually present, and it is treated as a serious felony. Civil lawsuits, by contrast, still use the language of assault and battery.
Sorting out who did what
Video is often the most important evidence, including bystander phone footage, store cameras, and clips shared afterward, and it may be lost or deleted quickly. Witness accounts from crowded scenes tend to conflict, and identifying individuals within a group can be unreliable. Your own injuries, those of your friends, and the related medical records can show how the fight unfolded. Avoid discussing the incident with others who were there, including anyone charged alongside you, since those conversations can be misread or used later.
Separate interests, separate lawyers
People charged from the same incident usually need separate lawyers, because their accounts and interests may differ. One person may have acted in self-defense while another started the fight, and a shared defense can hide those differences. In a first meeting we look at the charges against you and the others, what video exists, any orders of protection, and whether civil claims are likely from anyone who was hurt. If you were injured in the fight yourself, that can matter both to the defense and to any claim of your own.
