People ex rel. Hinspeter v. Senkowski

12 A.D.3d 23, 783 N.Y.S.2d 386, 2004 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 11557
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedOctober 4, 2004
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 12 A.D.3d 23 (People ex rel. Hinspeter v. Senkowski) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People ex rel. Hinspeter v. Senkowski, 12 A.D.3d 23, 783 N.Y.S.2d 386, 2004 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 11557 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Cozier, J.

The appellant is a convicted sex offender who is ineligible for postconviction bail pending appeal pursuant to CPL 530.50. After the Supreme Court denied his request for postconviction bail pending appeal (see People v Hinspeter, 190 Misc 2d 614 [2002]), the appellant commenced this habeas corpus proceeding challenging the constitutionality of CPL 530.50. The Supreme Court, reaching the merits of the petition, dismissed the proceeding (see People ex rel. Hinspeter v Senkowski, 194 Misc 2d 302 [2002]). This appeal followed.

This Court is presented with an issue of first impression— whether habeas corpus relief is available to challenge the constitutionality of CPL 530.50 (amended by L 2000, ch 1, § 14 [Sexual Assault Reform Act]), following the mandatory denial of postconviction bail pending appeal. For the reasons set forth herein, we find that habeas corpus review is unavailable under the circumstances presented.

Background

The appellant was arrested on sexual assault charges involving a child less than 14 years old, and was subsequently released on bail in the sum of $10,000. Following his arraignment on a 36-count indictment, the appellant’s bail was increased to $20,000, which he posted. It is undisputed that the appellant appeared in court whenever required while released on bail.

After a jury verdict finding the appellant guilty with respect to 14 counts of the indictment, including sodomy in the first and second degrees, rape in the first and second degrees, aggravated sexual abuse in the first and second degrees, and sexual abuse in the first and second degrees, he was immediately remanded without bail. At sentencing, the Supreme Court imposed a term of incarceration in excess of 50 years.

[25]*25Following sentencing, the appellant pro se sought a stay of execution of judgment, upon posting bail pending his appeal, before a different Supreme Court Justice in the county where judgment was entered, pursuant to CPL 460.50. The Supreme Court (DiBlasi, J.) denied the application for bail pending appeal (see People v Hinspeter, 190 Misc 2d 614 [2002]). Justice DiBlasi concluded that there was no constitutional right to bail after conviction and that CPL 530.50 explicitly barred the granting of bail to defendants, such as the appellant, who were convicted of serious sexual assault crimes against a person less than 18 years old. As such, Justice DiBlasi held that the Supreme Court was without any authority to grant the relief requested.

Thereafter, the appellant commenced this habeas corpus proceeding before the same court challenging the constitutionality of CPL 530.50. According to the appellant, CPL 530.50 violated the Eighth Amendment, as well as the state and federal Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses, by denying bail to defendants convicted of class B or C felony sex crimes involving victims under 18 years old, while permitting bail to defendants convicted of the same felonies involving victims 18 years and older, and to defendants convicted of class D or E felony sex crimes involving victims less than 18 years old. On December 11, 2002, the Supreme Court denied the habeas corpus petition and dismissed the proceeding, finding that CPL 530.50 did not violate any of the appellant’s constitutional rights (see People ex rel. Hinspeter v Senkowski, supra).

Discussion

On appeal, the appellant maintains that CPL 530.50 violates the Eighth Amendment, as well as the federal and state Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses. The respondent maintains that the Supreme Court properly denied the petition since there is no constitutional right to postconviction bail, and that the statute was rationally related to the State’s interest in protecting children against recidivist sex offenders. In addition, the respondent contends that a habeas corpus proceeding is an inappropriate vehicle to challenge the constitutionality of CPL 530.50, and that such review is limited to whether the denial of bail was an abuse of discretion or a violation of the constitutional prohibition against excessive bail or the arbitrary refusal of bail.

CPL 460.50 (1), in relevant part, states:

[26]*26“Upon application of a defendant who has taken an appeal to an intermediate appellate court from a judgment or from a sentence of a criminal court, a judge designated in subdivision two may issue an order both (a) staying or suspending the execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal, and (b) either releasing the defendant on his own recognizance or fixing bail pursuant to the provisions of article five hundred thirty.” (Emphasis added.)

CPL 530.50, as amended in 2000

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Bluebook (online)
12 A.D.3d 23, 783 N.Y.S.2d 386, 2004 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 11557, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-ex-rel-hinspeter-v-senkowski-nyappdiv-2004.