Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Demarest laid a veritable bodyslam on SUNY this afternoon when she ruled that ownership of Long Island College Hospital should revert to its previous owner Continuum or another operator willing to take it. After the ruling, Continuum issued a statement that they cannot takeover the facility. This comes on the same day that charges were dismissed against those arrested during the July 10th protest at SUNY headquarters in Manhattan (pictured via Steve Levin’s Twitter).
Brooklyn Eagle: For many, Justice Demarest’s order was a bolt out of the blue, since the bulk of the legal battles have been fought over the last few months in Supreme Justice Johnny L. Baynes’ courtroom. Justice Baynes, after a remarkable three-day hearing two weeks ago, ordered SUNY Downstate to keep LICH partially open until an agreement could be reached about its operation, possibly under another operator.
In late June, however, Justice Demarest, after reading about “the demise of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) at the hands of the State University of New York (SUNY Downstate)” became “increasing concerned as to the propriety of my own order granting approval of the transfer of LICH’s assets to SUNY Downstate in light of Downstate’s apparent lack of stewardship over those assets in advancement of LICH’s charitable purpose.” Justice Demarest ordered SUNY Downstate to present a full accounting by August 5 of all LICH property, assets and funds transferred to Downstate.
RELATED: Cobble Hill Association Explains The Ruling
Homer’s cousin Jeff tweets:
I am still flabbergasted by the enormity of our victory today in saving LICH. Thank you @nynurses @deBlasioNYC and everyone else.
— Jeff Strabone (@jeffstrabone) August 20, 2013
And the Cobble Hill Association is en fuego with joy:
We took on Albany and their real estate friends and we won! Saving LICH is a $1 billion victory for the people. Thank you @nynurses!
— Cobble Hill Assoc (@CobbleHillAssoc) August 20, 2013
