Daily Gazette Co. v. Harrigan

Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 (initiated in this Court pursuant to CPLR 506 [b] [1]) to review a determination of respondent County Judge of Schenectady County which, inter alia, excluded all members of the public and press from a sentencing hearing in a criminal action.

Seventeen-year-old respondent Amy Wood appeared before the County Court of Schenectady County and, responding to charges arising from the death of her newborn son, pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter. At her sentencing hearing, Wood was declared a youthful offender, whereupon her attorney moved to have the…