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Lefkowitz v. Cioffi
363 N.Y.S.2d 583
N.Y. App. Div.
1975
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Tilzer, J.

Petitioner brings this article 78 proceeding seeking a judgment prohibiting the respondent Justice from relеasing the individual respondent Jerry Greene on bail pending appeal from a judgment of conviction .and to declare null and void an order ¡setting bail in. the amount of $10,000.

Initially, we note that .althоugh the .application before the respondent Justice was ¡denominated ,as one for a writ of habeas corpus, it is clear that the relief sought was ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍for a .stay .of execution of judgment pursuant to CPL 460.60. Since no appeal lies from an order granting la stay of execution оf judgment pending appeal (see CPL 450.20; Matter of Rogers v. Leff, 45 A D 2d 630; cf. People ex rel. Epton v. Nenna, 25 A D 2d 518), and since the issue herein is whether the respondent Justicе acted in excess of his powers, this article 78 proceeding accordingly lies. (Matter of Proskin v. County Ct. of Albany County, 30 N Y 2d 15,18; Matter of Rogers v. Leff, supra.)

The individual rеspondent, Jerry ¡Greene, was convicted after trial before Mr. Justice Fraiman and a jury, of vаrious counts of grand larceny and ¡sentenced to a term of up to 4 years. On the same datе, Justice Fraiman granted a ¡stay of execution of judgment pending appeal, fixing bail in the amount of $10,000. Subsequently, the court revoked bail apparently because it was of ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍the belief that rеspondent Greene failed to expeditiously process the appeal from the judgment :of conviction. Thereafter, Justice Fraiman denied several applications which in effect, sought .restoration of the bail originally set by him. On the last application Justice Fraiman indicated that he would have been inclined to restore bail, but felt that he did not have such *475powеr in view of CPL 460.50 (subd. 3), which provides that “ not more than one application may be made pursuant tо this section ”.

By petition dated December 23,1974, returnable to the Appellate Division on Deсember 30, 1974, Jerry Greene, as petitioner, brought an .article 78 proceeding in the nature of mandamus ■seeking a judgment directing Mr. Justice Fraimah to restore bail. Despite the pendency of thаt application, respondent Greene, on December 24, 1974, sued out a writ of habeas corpus and on January 2, 1975, the respondent ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍Criminal Court Judge Lotjis A. Cioffi, sitting as an acting .Supreme Court Justicе, granted the writ and set bail in the amount of $10,000. Thereafter, this court denied the application in the article 78 proceeding against Justice Fbaimax but in so doing it was indicated that power resided in Justice Fraimaw to entertain an application for .restoration of bail and therefоre, .the denial was ‘ ‘ without prejudice to a further application by the petitioner for rеinstatement of bail pursuant to CPL § 530.60.”

CPL 460.50 (subd. 3), which as afore-mentioned, limits a defendant to one application for a stay of execution of judgment pending appeal to an intermediate appellate court, is applicable only where a further and new application for bail is made. Accordingly, that section does not constitute a bar insofar as restorаtion of bail is .sought from ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍the Justice who originally granted the .stay of execution. However, it was improper for the respondent Justice, Cioffi to grant bail. Although denominated as a petition for а writ of habeas corpus, it was clear that respondent Greene was legally detained рursuant to the judgment of1 conviction, and accordingly, habeas corpus did not lie. (People ex rel. Epton v. Nenna, 25 A D 2d 518, supra.) Under such cirсumstances, defendant’s release pending appeal may only be granted pursuant to thе statutory provisions empowering the court to stay an execution of judgment (CPL 460.50; see Matter of Rogers v. Leff, 45 A D 2d 630, supra). The application .to the respondent Justice, however, constituted a new applicatiоn which was specifically embraced within the prohibition ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍contained in CPL 460.50 (subd. 3), and therefore, the respondent Justice was without .power to grant a stay and bail.

Accordingly, the petition should be grаnted, the order granting bail in the amount of $10,000 should be vacated on the law and declared void аnd respondent Greene should be remanded to custody. However, in the interest of justice the effect of the order to be entered herein should be stayed for a period of 10 *476days to enable respondent to apply to Justice Fbaiman for restoration of the bail originally grаnted.

Kupferman, J. P., .Murphy and Lane, JJ., concur.

Petition for an order pursuant to the provisions of CPLR article 78, ip the nature of prohibition, unanimously granted, without costs and without disbursements, the order granting bail in the amount of $10,000 is vacated, on thе law, and declared void and respondent, Greene, remanded to custody. However, in the interest of justice the effect of the order entered herein is stayed for a period of 10 days from the date of entry thereof to enable respondent, Greene, to apply to Justice Fbaiman for restoration of the bail originally granted.

Case Details

Case Name: Lefkowitz v. Cioffi
Court Name: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
Date Published: Jan 23, 1975
Citation: 363 N.Y.S.2d 583
Court Abbreviation: N.Y. App. Div.
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