People ex rel. O'Brien v. Hayes

77 N.Y.S. 284 | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | 1902

Smith, W. M., J.

Mo substantial right of the relator was invaded. He had a hearing before the magistrate on a charge of larceny. The magistrate held him to await the action of the grand jury for the crime of grand larceny; the grand jury failed to indict him. The fact that the grand jury refused to find a bill of indictment, with a memorandum that the case be sent to the Court of Special Sessions to be disposed of as petit larceny, was irregular, but its legal effect was the same as a simple refusal to find an indictment. The court of Special Sessions had jurisdiction to try the relator upon the charge of petit larceny. He is not entitled to a discharge now because the magistrate erred in sending the case to the grand jury in the first instance instead of the Court of Special Sessions, where it belonged.

Writ dismissed.

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