| Matter of Geraci v Evans |
| 2010 NY Slip Op 06744 [76 AD3d 1161] |
| September 30, 2010 |
| Appellate Division, Third Department |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| In the Matter of Sammy Geraci, Appellant, v Andrea W. Evans, as Chair of the Division of Parole, Respondent. |
—[*1]
Andrew M. Cuomo, Attorney General, Albany (Frank Brady of counsel), for
respondent.
Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Cahill, J.), entered January 25, 2010 in Albany County, which dismissed petitioner's application, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78, to review a determination of the Board of Parole denying petitioner's request for parole release.
Petitioner was convicted of manslaughter in the first degree and two counts of assault in the
first degree in 1992, and is currently serving an aggregate prison sentence of 13
We affirm. Initially, the Board failed to consider petitioner's sentencing minutes in making its determination (see Executive Law § 259-i [1] [a]). In a CPLR article 78 proceeding commenced with regard to petitioner's second appearance before the Board, however, it was established that those minutes were unavailable. Accordingly, the Board's failure to consider those minutes does not render its decision irrational to the point of impropriety (see Matter of Williams v New York State Div. of Parole, 70 AD3d 1106, 1106 [2010], lv denied 14 NY3d 709 [2010]; Matter of Blasich v New York State Bd. of Parole, 68 AD3d 1339, 1340-1341 [2009], lv dismissed 14 NY3d 793 [2010]). Moreover, as the minutes were unavailable, petitioner was not entitled to a presumption that the sentencing court made a favorable parole recommendation (see Matter of Lebron v Alexander, 68 AD3d 1476, 1477 [2009]). As the transcript of the hearing [*2]reveals that the Board considered all relevant factors in denying petitioner's parole request, we decline to disturb its decision.
Petitioner's remaining contentions, including petitioner's claim that a letter from his defense attorney was not considered by the Board, to the extent they are properly before us, have been considered and found to be wanting in merit.
Mercure, J.P., Spain, Lahtinen, Stein and Garry, JJ., concur. Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, without costs.