Leonido v. State

*933OPINION OF THE COURT

Stephen J. Mignano, J.

This claim arises from a July 30, 1997 incident in which a prison inmate escaped from a bus while being transported from one correctional facility to another and carjacked the claimants’ car. The trial was bifurcated and this decision deals only with the issue of liability.

At trial, the evidence established that on July 30, 1997 a Department of Correctional Services (hereinafter DOCS) bus, driven by a civilian employee of DOCS, was transporting inmates on a scheduled trip from Ulster Correctional Facility to Eastern Correctional Facility, Fishkill…