People ex rel. Perry v. Berry

This is an appeal by the defendant, comptroller of the city of New York, from an order of the Supreme Court granting relators’ motion for a peremptory mandamus order directing him to pay the sum of $500 to each of the relators as counsel fees, pursuant to an order of the County Court of Kings county assigning relators to defend one Fred Lacey charged by indictment with murder in the first degree.

Upon arraignment on the 19th day of January, 1928, Lacey, according to an affidavit subsequently verified by him, stated to the court that he desired the aid of counsel, that he was wholly destitute…