People v. Downs

Cross appeals from a judgment of the Court of Claims entered upon a memorandum decision. On April 18, 1947 the claimant was sentenced at the New York General Sessions “for an *937indefinite term ” in “ a State Institution under the jurisdiction of the Department of Correction ” and “ committed to the Reception Center * * * at Elmira, N. Y., for classification and confinement, pursuant to Article 3-A of the Correction Law ”. The applicable statutes effective at the time of sentence were open to differing interpretations; but it became settled by People ex rel. Johnson v. Martin (283 App. Div. 478,…