Matter of Rabinowitz v James M.
2009 NY Slip Op 04720 [63 AD3d 481]
June 9, 2009
Appellate Division, First Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, August 5, 2009


In the Matter of Steven Rabinowitz, Petitioner,
v
James M., Respondent, and Thomas J. Spota, as Suffolk County District Attorney, Appellant.

[*1] Thomas J. Spota, District Attorney, Suffolk (Guy Arcidiacono of counsel), appellant pro se.

Marvin Bernstein, Mental Hygiene Legal Service, New York (Diane G. Temkin of counsel), for respondent.

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Kibbie F. Payne, J.), entered on or about November 26, 2008, which directed that defendant be transferred from a secure psychiatric facility to a nonsecure psychiatric facility, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

A fair interpretation of the evidence supports the application court's findings that while defendant continues to suffer from a mental illness, he no longer shows a level of dangerousness warranting retention in a secure facility, and that he otherwise meets the criteria for retention in a nonsecure facility (see Matter of David B., 97 NY2d 267, 276-279 [2002]; Matter of George L., 85 NY2d 295, 305 [1995]; cf. Matter of Richard S., 6 AD3d 1039 [2004], appeal dismissed 3 NY3d 700 [2004]). Concur—Mazzarelli, J.P., Sweeny, DeGrasse, Freedman and Abdus-Salaam, JJ.