Prisoner's right to communicate with friends

§ 56. Prisoner's right to communicate with friends. (1) The commissioner of correction of the city of New York shall cause to be placed in each district prison a notice in several languages, setting forth that prisoners have the right to send a message or to write to or cause their relatives or friends to be telephoned to in the manner hereinafter set forth, and also stating the rates of messenger service. Whenever a person is detained in a district prison the keeper or other person in charge shall, at the request of such prisoner, telephone, without cost, to one number in the city of New York given him by said prisoner in an effort to reach his relatives and friends, or, at the option of the prisoner, give him a stamped envelope free of charge, or at cost an envelope with necessary postage for a special delivery letter. The keeper or other person in charge shall, at the request of such prisoner, telephone to such other numbers as the prisoner may request upon the payment of the regular telephone charge for the same. It shall be the duty of the lieutenant, or other officer in charge at the police station, to telephone free of charge to three numbers at the request of the prisoner. In each case the lieutenant, or other officer in charge of the station house, or the keeper, or other person in charge of the district prison, shall inform the prisoner of his opportunity to telephone or receive a stamped envelope and postage as above set forth, and in addition thereto, in each district prison there shall be installed a messenger telegraph service, and whether the prisoner sends a message by said service or by a messenger he shall not be charged any sum greater than the customary rate for similar service from any other place in the city.

(2) At the time of the arraignment of a defendant, the judge shall inform said defendant that he is entitled to communicate with his relatives or friends, by letter or telephone free of charge. But the failure of the judge to give the warning prescribed herein shall not be deemed a reason to reverse a judgment of conviction unless such failure is shown to have deprived the defendant of a fair trial.