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IN RE: Jonathan BROWN, Petitioner, v. Donald SELSKY, as Director of Special Housing and Inmate Disciplinary Programs, Respondent.
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 the Commissioner of Correctional Services which found petitioner guilty of violating certain prison disciplinary rules.
After petitioner was identified as being a member of a gang and having slashed another inmate with a folded can top, he was charged in a misbehavior report with assault, possession of a weapon and unauthorized organizational activity. At the conclusion of the ensuing tier III disciplinary hearing, petitioner was found guilty of all three charges. That determination was affirmed on administrative appeal, prompting petitioner to commence this CPLR article 78 proceeding seeking annulment of the determination.
We confirm. The detailed misbehavior report, together with the extensive hearing testimony, comprise substantial evidence to support the determination of guilt (see Matter of Yancey v. Conway, 46 A.D.3d 1042, 847 N.Y.S.2d 282 [2007] ). Regarding petitioner's denial of the allegations against him, a credibility issue was created for resolution by the Hearing Officer (see Matter of Johnson v. Goord, 46 A.D.3d 1038, 1039, 846 N.Y.S.2d 924 [2007] ). As for petitioner's claim that he was denied the right to present witness testimony from another inmate, it is unpreserved for our review given petitioner's failure to object at the hearing (see Matter of Toledo v. Selsky, 12 A.D.3d 824, 825, 783 N.Y.S.2d 892 [2004] ) and, in any event, is without merit inasmuch as the inmate stated on the record in petitioner's presence that he was unwilling to testify because he had no knowledge of the matter (see Matter of Williams v. Goord, 242 A.D.2d 842, 842, 662 N.Y.S.2d 617 [1997] ). Petitioner's remaining contentions, to the extent not specifically addressed herein, have been examined and found to be unavailing.
ADJUDGED that the determination is confirmed, without costs, and petition dismissed.
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Decided: March 27, 2008
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.
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