Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Schuyler County (Callanan, Sr., J.), rendered December 19, 1996, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crimes of sexual abuse in the first degree (six counts), sodomy in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child (three counts).
Defendant’s initial argument on this appeal from his conviction of several sex-related crimes, arising out of his involvement with three young girls ages seven to nine, is that County Court erred in denying his request for a pretrial hearing to
We likewise reject his claim that the verdict was not supported by legally sufficient evidence. This claim rests on defendant’s faulty assertion that the testimony of seven-year-old victim A was unsworn due to County Court’s failure to administer a formal, traditional oath. This argument lacks merit because the form of an oath is flexible and is deemed sufficient so long as it is calculated to awaken the conscience and impress the mind of the person taking it in accordance with his or her religious or ethical beliefs (see, Collins v AA Truck Renting Corp., 209 AD2d 363; see also, CPLR 2309 [b]). Here, County Court conducted an extensive colloquy with victim A to determine whether she understood the obligation of an oath and the consequences of giving false testimony (see, People v Parks, 41 NY2d 36, 46). During the course of the colloquy, victim A unequivocally indicated that she understood that she had to tell the truth and that, if she did not, she was liable to be punished. In our view this colloquy satisfied the requirements of an oath, thereby allowing victim A to provide sworn testimony. Therefore, viewing defendant’s statement, victim A’s testimony and victim C’s unsworn testimony, which we find was sufficiently corroborated, in the light most favorable to the People, we conclude that the evidence showing that the three naked girls engaged in sexual conduct while lying on top of the unclothed defendant, who performed oral sex with victim C, was legally sufficient since a rational trier of fact could conclude that the elements of the crimes had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt (see, People v Chico, 90 NY2d 585, 588-589; People v Gressler, 235 AD2d 599, lv denied 89 NY2d 1036).
Defendant’s remaining contentions do not require extended discussion. His challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence before the Grand Jury has been negated by his conviction at
For these reasons, we affirm the judgment of conviction.
Mercure, J. P., Peters, Spain and GrafFeo, JJ., concur. Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.