Frank C. Fetterusso, Otto Hofendiener, and Leonard Giardiana v. State of New York, New York State Office of Mental Health

IRVING R. KAUFMAN, Circuit Judge:

New York’s Criminal Procedure Law provides for commitment after a verdict of those found “not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect,” N.Y.Crim. Proc.Law § 330.20 (McKinney 1983 and Supp.1990). The statute recognizes a cate gory of “quasi-criminal and quasi-civil” patients in the custody of the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health (“OMH”) and under the mental health care of the State. People v. Ortega, 127 Misc.2d 717, 734, 487 N.Y.S.2d 939, 952 (1985), aff'd, 118 A.D.2d 523, 499 N.Y.S.2d 1018, aff'd, 69 N.Y.2d 763, 505 N.E.2d…