Section 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.