Matter of Benson v New York State Bd. of Parole

Matter of Benson v New York State Bd. of Parole 2020 NY Slip Op 03207 Decided on June 9, 2020 Court of Appeals Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports.

Decided on June 9, 2020
No. 63 SSM 4

[*1]In the Matter of Eric Benson, Appellant,

v

New York State Board of Parole, Respondent.

Submitted by Alfred O'Connor, for appellant.

Submitted by Frank Brady, for respondent.

MEMORANDUM:

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed, without costs.

Judicial intervention in Parole Board determinations is warranted "only when there is a showing of irrationality bordering on impropriety" (Matter of Silmon v Travis, 95 NY2d 470, 476 [2000] [internal quotation marks omitted]). Petitioner failed to make such a showing here with regard to the Parole Board's determination to rescind his parole release.

Our decision in Matter of Costello v New York State Bd. of Parole (23 NY3d 1002 [2014]) does not compel a contrary result. Costello was decided "under the particular circumstances of [that] case," which circumstances are distinguishable from the present case (id. at 1004).

On review of submissions pursuant to section 500.11 of the Rules, order affirmed, without costs, in a memorandum. Chief Judge DiFiore and Judges Stein, Fahey, Garcia and Feinman concur. Judges Rivera and Wilson dissent for [*2]reasons stated in the dissenting opinion of Presiding Justice Elizabeth A. Garry at the Appellate Division (see Matter of Benson v New York State Board of Parole, 176 AD3d 1548, 1553-1555 [3rd Dept 2019] [Garry, P.J. dissenting]).

Decided June 9, 2020