Detention of Paschke v. State

90 P.3d 74
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 13, 2004
Docket18812-4-III
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 90 P.3d 74 (Detention of Paschke v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Detention of Paschke v. State, 90 P.3d 74 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

90 P.3d 74 (2004)
121 Wash.App. 614

In re DETENTION OF Herman Ross PASCHKE, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Washington, Respondent.

No. 18812-4-III.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 3, Panel Eight.

May 13, 2004.

*75 Cynthia Ann Jordan, Spokane, WA, for Appellant.

Sarah Sappington, Assistant Attorney General, Seattle, WA, for Respondent.

OPINION PUBLISHED IN PART

BROWN, J.

The State filed a sexually violent predator petition against Herman Ross Paschke shortly before he was to be released from prison. A jury found him a sexually violent predator (SVP). The trial court then committed Mr. Paschke to the State's Special Commitment Center (SCC). After Mr. Paschke's appeal, we twice stayed this matter to await Supreme Court decisions, but decline the State's request for a third stay because of the unique facts of this case. Subsequent to Mr. Paschke's appeal, he was released on a Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA). Mr. Paschke, a sex offender, was incarcerated for five years after a parole violation prior to the filing of the SVP petition. He admits his parole violation involved an impermissible relapse of sexual behavior. Under these facts, the trial court did not err in deciding the recent overt act requirements were satisfied. Additionally, we reject the remaining evidence admissibility and sufficiency questions. Accordingly, we affirm.

FACTS

In 1972, Mr. Paschke was convicted of one count of abduction and one count of carnal knowledge. In 1979, Mr. Paschke was convicted of one count of second degree rape. On April 6, 1994, two days before his mandatory *76 release, the State petitioned the Spokane County Superior Court to have Mr. Paschke committed to the custody of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as a sexually violent predator (SVP) pursuant to chapter 71.09 RCW. On the State's motion, the superior court issued a probable cause order directing custodial detention and evaluation of Mr. Paschke at the Special Commitment Center (SCC), now moved from Monroe to McNeil Island.

Mr. Paschke unsuccessfully sought consideration of LRAs at trial. Although conceding some relevancy, the State successfully argued the trial court could not consider evidence on LRAs until after Mr. Paschke was found to be a SVP. Accordingly, the trial court excluded Dr. Stuart Brown's testimony regarding LRAs. The trial court did allow Mr. Paschke's testimony regarding "any voluntary treatment plans he will undertake if not found to be a sexually violent predator[.]" Clerk's Papers (CP) at 567.

The trial court denied Mr. Paschke's motions to exclude victims' testimony and certain victims' earlier photographs. Accordingly, in 1999 the jury learned how Mr. Paschke (1) broke into T.H.'s house and forced her to perform oral intercourse in 1971 when she was 12 years old, (2) later forced T.H. to perform oral and vaginal intercourse, (3) threatened E.C. during obscene telephone calls in 1989, (4) attempted to break into M.P.'s house in 1979, (5) broke into P.B.'s house and raped her repeatedly in 1979. Mr. Paschke disputed other sexual allegations related to his wife.

Dr. Leslie Rawlings, a psychologist, testified Mr. Paschke suffered from a mental abnormality: "Rape, paraphilia not otherwise specified rape." Report of Proceedings (RP) at 734. Dr. Rawlings described paraphilia as abnormal sexual behavior. Dr. Rawlings believed Mr. Paschke suffered from "[a]ntisocial personality disorder with paranoid features." RP at 754. Dr. Rawlings stated it was his professional opinion that Mr. Paschke was "more likely than not to reoffend." RP at 782.

Dr. Rawlings, in detail, explained the basis for his opinions, covering Mr. Paschke's history from age seven of breaking into houses to steal panties, making obscene phone calls, raping and sexually assaulting various persons. Dr. Rawlings described Mr. Paschke's prison and parole history. Dr. Rawlings concluded Mr. Paschke required treatment for sexual deviancy in "a secure facility." RP at 783. Further, Mr. Paschke was "more likely than not to reoffend if he is released to the community." RP at 784. Dr. Rawlings said he was unaware of any alternative setting where Mr. Paschke could be treated other than the secured facility at the SCC.

In general, Dr. Brown, a state certified sex offender treatment provider gave testimony more favorable to Mr. Paschke. He opined Mr. Paschke did not suffer from an "active" paraphilia and characterized Mr. Paschke's record of behavior in his last 10 years of confinement as "very good," with one formal infraction and self-reported incidents of marijuana consumption. RP at 950. He did not believe Mr. Paschke met the clinical definition of "an antisocial personality disorder." RP at 951. Dr. Brown also found it "less likely than not" that Mr. Paschke would reoffend. RP at 1000. Dr. Brown was not allowed to testify as to the availability of LRAs.

Mr. Paschke testified he learned to employ intervention strategies to control his behavior rather than act out a sexual assault cycle. Mr. Paschke said the intervention strategies worked for him and would work better if he could get "an intensified treatment program." RP at 1205. Mr. Paschke stated that he benefited from a spiritual awakening. When asked what his plans were should he be released from the SCC, he indicated he had no concrete plans, but would get into a sexual deviancy program.

When asked in cross-examination why he still wanted to undergo counseling, Mr. Paschke admitted he would "always have that potential to possibly reoffend." RP at 1209. Further, Mr. Paschke acknowledged the 1971 and 1979 rapes and admitted he had probably relapsed when he made obscene phone calls in 1989.

To find Mr. Paschke a SVP the jury was instructed that it must find beyond a reasonable doubt he suffered from a mental abnormality *77 or personality disorder and such conditions make "the respondent likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined to a secure facility." RP at 1244. The trial court did not instruct the jury to consider the availability of treatment in a situation less restrictive than total confinement. The jury found against Mr. Paschke. Mr. Paschke appealed.

We stayed the matter twice, first to await the outcome of In re Detention of Brooks, 145 Wash.2d 275, 36 P.3d 1034 (2001), and then a second time to await the mandate for In re Detention of Thorell, 149 Wash.2d 724, 72 P.3d 708 (2003) (petition for certiorari filed October 7, 2003). During the second stay, it appears Mr. Paschke petitioned successfully for a post-commitment review hearing pursuant to RCW 71.09.090. The parties did not inform this court of proceedings subsequent to our second stay and have not supplemented our record to explain subsequent developments.

We gather from the post-Thorell briefing that Mr. Paschke was found amenable to treatment in a LRA during an annual review because the trial court has now ordered him transferred to a newly-established LRA located on McNeil Island, the Secure Community Transfer Facility. Nevertheless, Mr. Paschke contends the appeal is not moot. The State partly agrees, meriting some discussion regarding the effect of the subsequent proceedings

ANALYSIS

Effect of Subsequent Proceedings

The issue is whether the trial court's post-petition decision to partially release Mr. Paschke to a LRA renders this appeal moot.

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Bluebook (online)
90 P.3d 74, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/detention-of-paschke-v-state-washctapp-2004.