Barreto v. Goord, 244 A.D.2d 610 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997). · Go Syfert
Barreto v. Goord, 244 A.D.2d 610 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
10 citation events (2 in the last 25 years) across 1 distinct court.
Strongest positive: Miller v. Goord (nyappdiv, 2003-12-04)
Top citers, strongest first. 2 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Miller v. Goord
N.Y. App. Div. · 2003 · confidence medium
While testimony has been found relevant when it could prove “a possible justification defense to the charged violation” (Matter of Coleman v Coombe, 65 NY2d 777 , 780 [1985]) or mitigate the penalty (see id. at 780; Matter of Anderson v Morrow, 268 AD2d 638, 639 [2000]), where, as here, their exclusion was based upon “their lack of direct knowledge of the facts giving rise to [that] proceeding” (Matter of Nijman v Goord, 294 AD2d 737, 738 [2002]), the determination was proper (see Matter of Joyce v Goord, 246 AD2d 926, 928 [1998]; Matter of Barreto v Goord, 244 AD2d 610, 611 [1997]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Tafari v. Mcginnis
N.Y. App. Div. · 2003 · confidence medium
At a minimum, the hearing should not have been brought to a close without affording petitioner the opportunity to address these issues (see generally Matter of Hernandez v Selsky, 296 AD2d 677 [2002]; Matter of Russell v Selsky, 283 AD2d 890, 891 [2001], lv dismissed, lv denied 97 NY2d 668 [2001]; Matter of Rodriguez-Aliseo v Selsky, 268 AD2d 739, 740 [2000]; Matter of Di Salvo v Selsky, 260 AD2d 874, 875 [1999]; Matter of Barreto v Goord, 244 AD2d 610, 611 [1997]).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
In the Matter of Angel Barreto
v.
Glenn S. Goord, as Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Nov 6, 1997.
244 A.D.2d 610
Carpinello.
Cited by 9 opinions  |  Published
—Carpinello, J.

Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 (transferred to this Court by order of the Supreme Court, entered in Chemung County) to review a determination of respondent Commissioner of Correctional Services which found petitioner guilty of violating a prison disciplinary rule.

Following a tier III disciplinary hearing, petitioner, an inmate at Southport Correctional Facility in Chemung County, was found guilty of violating a prison disciplinary rule prohibiting inmates from committing an unhygienic act. Petitioner was charged with the rule violation after feces was discovered on the bars of a cell located adjacent to the one in which petitioner was housed. The determination was affirmed upon administrative appeal, following which petitioner commenced this CPLR article 78 proceeding seeking to annul the determination. Supreme Court subsequently transferred the case to this Court pursuant to CPLR 7804.

We confirm. Initially, we find no merit to petitioner’s claim[*611] that the hearing was not timely commenced or concluded. Inasmuch as petitioner was already confined as the result of an unrelated matter, the seven-day rule for commencing the hearing was inapplicable (see, 7 NYCRR 251-5.1 [a]; Matter of Nelson v Selsky, 239 AD2d 795, 796). Although the hearing was not concluded within 14 days of the writing of the misbehavior report (see, 7 NYCRR 251-5.1 [b]), it was concluded pursuant to two valid extensions, both of which had been granted to enable petitioner to obtain the testimony of staff witnesses (see, Matter of Guerrero u Coombe, 239 AD2d 676, 677).

Petitioner’s contention that he was denied the right to call certain witnesses is also unavailing. The record clearly establishes that these potential witnesses had no personal knowledge of the incident and petitioner could not otherwise demonstrate that their testimony would be material or relevant to the case at hand (see, id., at 677; see also, 7 NYCRR 254.5 [a]). We similarly do not find that petitioner was denied • the right to effectively question those witnesses who did testify. Petitioner was allowed a full opportunity to submit questions for the witnesses and was restricted only when the Hearing Officer properly determined that the proposed questions lacked relevancy.

Finally, despite the lack of eyewitness testimony, we find that the misbehavior report, coupled with the testimony of the correction officer who authored the report and those officers who investigated the incident, were sufficiently probative to supply substantial evidence supporting the determination of guilt (see, Matter of Hernandez v Coombe, 228 AD2d 760; Matter of Maya v Coughlin, 216 AD2d 614).

Mercure, J. P., Casey, Peters and Spain, JJ., concur. Adjudged that the determination is confirmed, without costs, and petition dismissed.