Opinion
2014-01-23
In the Matter of Darren CURRY, Petitioner, v. Brian FISCHER, as Commissioner of Corrections and Community Supervision, Respondent.
Darren Curry, Comstock, petitioner pro se. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, Albany (Peter H. Schiff of counsel), for respondent.
Darren Curry, Comstock, petitioner pro se. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, Albany (Peter H. Schiff of counsel), for respondent.
Before: PETERS, P.J., LAHTINEN, McCARTHY and EGAN JR., JJ.
Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 (transferred to this Court by order of the Supreme Court, entered in Albany County) to review a determination of respondent which found petitioner guilty of violating certain prison disciplinary rules.
Correction officials received anonymous information that petitioner was in possession of and had been smoking marihuana. As a result, a correction sergeant directed two officers to pat frisk petitioner and search his cell. After one of the officers felt a suspicious object in the fly of petitioner's underwear, petitioner was moved to the barbershop area where he was strip frisked. During the frisk, a partially smoked, hand-rolled cigarette, containing what appeared to be synthetic marihuana that tested positive for amphetamines, was recovered. As a result, petitioner was charged in a misbehavior report with possession of contraband, possession of drugs and smuggling. He was found guilty of the charges following a tier III disciplinary hearing. On administrative appeal, the drug possession charge was dismissed and the penalty modified, but the remainder of the determination was upheld. This CPLR article 78 proceeding ensued.
We confirm. The misbehavior report and related documentation, together with the testimony of the sergeant and officers involved in the incident, provide substantial evidence supporting the determination of guilt ( see Matter of Oliver v. Fischer, 107 A.D.3d 1268, 1268–1269, 967 N.Y.S.2d 248 [2013];Matter of Faraldo v. Bezio, 100 A.D.3d 1160, 1161, 953 N.Y.S.2d 406 [2012] ). While petitioner contends that the strip frisk violated Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Directive No. 4910 because it was not conducted in the presence of a sergeant, we find this argument to be unpersuasive inasmuch as this directive provides that a sergeant “may be present” but does not require that a sergeant actually supervise the frisk (Dept. of Corr. & Community Supervision Directive No. 4910 III[G][1][a] ). Petitioner further claims that the misbehavior report failed to give him adequate notice of the charges because it misidentified the location of the incident as occurring in his cell instead of the barbershop area. Given that the incident originated at petitioner's cell, as the report indicates, and was then moved to the barbershop area for the ensuing strip frisk, as mentioned in the body of the report, we find petitioner's contention unavailing and that the report contained sufficient detail to enable him to prepare a defense ( see generally Matter of Modlenaar v. Goord, 21 A.D.3d 1190, 1191, 800 N.Y.S.2d 859 [2005];Matter of Smith v. Portuondo, 309 A.D.2d 1028, 1028, 766 N.Y.S.2d 154 [2003];compare Matter of Simmons v. Fischer, 105 A.D.3d 1288, 1289, 963 N.Y.S.2d 609 [2013] ). Petitioner's remaining contentions have been considered and are either unpreserved for our review or are lacking in merit.
ADJUDGED that the determination is confirmed, without costs, and petition dismissed.