New York Court of Appeals

The People of the State of New York, Respondent v. Joseph Gowasky, Appellants

February 23, 1927244 N.Y. 451

Summary

The Court upheld the constitutionality of the 1926 amendments to the New York Penal Law (the Baumes Act) that allow enhanced sentencing for repeat felons without requiring prior convictions to be alleged or proved at trial, and affirmed the judgment despite procedural deficiencies concerning the defendants' right to be informed of a jury trial on the truth of the information.