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Matter of Townsend v. Selsky

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Nov 9, 2000
277 A.D.2d 625 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)

Opinion

November 9, 2000.

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

Hollis Townsend, Gouverneur, petitioner in person.

Eliot Spitzer, Attorney-General (Julie M. Sheridan of counsel), Albany, for respondent.

Before: Mercure, J.P., Crew III, Peters, Spain and Rose, JJ.


MEMORANDUM AND JUDGMENT

Petitioner was found guilty of violating the prison disciplinary rule that prohibits the unauthorized use of controlled substances after his urine sample twice tested positive for the presence of cannabinoids. Initially, we note that the testimony from the correction officers involved in the procurement and testing of petitioner's urine specimen together with the documentation thereon adequately established a sufficient chain of custody and adequacy of testing procedures used (see, Matter of Mitchell v. Goord, 272 A.D.2d 686, 708 N.Y.S.2d 905;Matter of Rivera v. Goord, 258 A.D.2d 858). Furthermore, the misbehavior report and testimony at the hearing and positive urinalysis test results constitute substantial evidence to support the determination of guilt (see, Matter of McMahon v. Dobbins, 273 A.D.2d 578, 710 N.Y.S.2d 551). Petitioner's remaining contentions, including his claim of Hearing Officer bias, have been reviewed and found to be without merit.

ADJUDGED that the determination is confirmed, without costs, and petition dismissed.


Summaries of

Matter of Townsend v. Selsky

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Nov 9, 2000
277 A.D.2d 625 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)
Case details for

Matter of Townsend v. Selsky

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of HOLLIS TOWNSEND, Petitioner, v. DONALD SELSKY, as…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department

Date published: Nov 9, 2000

Citations

277 A.D.2d 625 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)
718 N.Y.S.2d 220

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