In Re the Civil Commitment of Martin

661 N.W.2d 632, 2003 Minn. App. LEXIS 602, 2003 WL 21152537
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedMay 20, 2003
DocketC3-02-2236, CX-03-168
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 661 N.W.2d 632 (In Re the Civil Commitment of Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re the Civil Commitment of Martin, 661 N.W.2d 632, 2003 Minn. App. LEXIS 602, 2003 WL 21152537 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION

HARTEN, Judge.

Appellant Anoka County challenges the district court’s denial of a petition to have respondent James Martin committed as a sexually dangerous person; respondent argues that Minn.Stat. § 253B.02, subds. 7a, 18c (2002), the sexually dangerous person statute, is unconstitutional as applied to him. 1 Because we conclude that the statute is constitutional as applied to respondent but that the district court erred in finding that respondent’s acts did not constitute harmful sexual conduct and that there was not clear and convincing evidence that respondent has an inability to adequately control his sexual behavior, we reverse and remand.

FACTS

Respondent James Martin, now 34, has a history of sexual behavior issues that began in early 1991, when respondent was a senior in college. At that time, respondent was living in a dormitory with a roommate. Respondent was depressed; his grades had deteriorated, he was feeling less motivated, he had gained weight, and he had occasional thoughts of suicide.

Respondent learned that, from a friend’s dormitory room window, he could watch J.V., a female student, undress and walk around unclothed in her dormitory room. Respondent watched J.V. twice, and he began masturbating when fantasizing that J.V. was exhibitionistic and that she acted as she did because she wanted a boyfriend. Although he had not met J.V., respondent telephoned her, told her that he liked her *635 and had seen her unclothed, and asked her for a date. J.V. refused; her refusal made respondent angry because he attributed it to his weight gain.

Respondent’s anger toward J.V. developed into hatred. He persuaded his roommate to invite J.V. to their dorm room, where respondent confronted her with disparaging remarks and racial slurs. In response, J.V. slapped respondent across the face and left. Respondent had secretly taped this incident, labeling the tape “Revenge on [J.V.].” Immediately after the incident, respondent felt victorious, but the following day he became more depressed and angry with J.V. He started blaming J.V. for everything wrong with his life and began thinking of ways to kill her.

In summer 1991, respondent learned where J.V. lived with her family and that she worked at a bar. Respondent went to the bar and approached J.V. in the parking lot. J.V. appeared uncomfortable and told respondent to stay away from her. After that encounter, respondent’s anger toward J.V. intensified.

In July 1991, respondent broke into J.V.’s family’s house when no one was home. He walked around the house, found J.V.’s bedroom, and sat on her bed with a .38 caliber pistol waiting for her to return. J.V. did not return and, after about 90 minutes, respondent left. In August 1991, respondent again visited J.V.’s family’s house. Movement inside the house frightened him away as he was cutting a screen in an attempt to break in. About a week later, he returned to J.V.’s house for the third time. He parked at the end of the driveway and walked up to the door with a hunting knife. Although he had intended to break in, he returned to his car. J.V.’s neighbor saw respondent sitting in the car at the end of the driveway. When respondent drove away, the neighbor and J.V.’s father followed him. Respondent fired three pistol shots at their car. One shot hit the windshield, but no one was injured.

Respondent remained in the area for a few days, living in his car and fantasizing about killing J.V. He was apprehended by authorities when his car got stuck in the mud. A search of the car revealed a loaded .38 caliber pistol with extra ammunition, a hunting knife, a roll of duct tape, three lengths of rope, four tent stakes, a bull whip, a bottle of Vaseline, a pair of cotton gloves, a pair of latex gloves, a spade, a video camera and tripod, and the video cassette labeled “Revenge on [J.V.].”

Becker County authorities charged respondent with two counts of second-degree assault, to which he pleaded guilty. At respondent’s request, a psychiatric examination was performed by Edwin Johnson, M.D. and R.P. Ascano, Ph.D. Respondent told the doctors that he intended to kidnap, rape, and kill J.V. using the items found in his car. Drs. Johnson and Ascano diagnosed respondent with major depressive disorder, recurrent, and avoidant personality disorder with schizotypal features. They also found a serious risk that respondent would commit suicide and a moderate risk that he would commit homicidal behavior.

In a presentence investigation report, a probation officer noted that respondent’s emotions seemed flat until he began describing the incidents involving J.V. He then became excited and appeared to enjoy recalling the humiliation and fear he inflicted on her and her family.

The Becker County District Court sentenced respondent to 72 months on one count of second-degree assault and stayed a 36-month sentence on the second count on condition that respondent successfully complete a psychological treatment program that would deal with the issues identified by Drs. Johnson and Ascano.

*636 In February 1992, respondent entered the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud. Despite staff recommendations, he refused to participate in any treatment programs. In 1993, respondent began engaging in obsessive behavior toward a female prison guard, J.C. Because respondent was perceived to be at risk for suicide, he was assigned to a cell near the guard desk. When J.C. was seated at the desk, respondent often stared at her, contorting himself into uncomfortable positions so he could do so. He continued to stare at her after she confronted him about his conduct. When J.C. had respondent moved to a different cell, he stood with his face up against the bars of the cell to stare at her. Respondent often asked J.C. questions about her personal life, followed her around the cell unit, stood inappropriately close to her, and stared at her body. Respondent told another inmate that, when he got out of prison, he intended to ask J.C. to marry him and to kill her if she refused. Alarmed by what respondent told him, the inmate reported respondent’s remark to prison staff. J.C. believed there was a strong possibility that respondent would pursue her when he got out of prison.

After an evaluation by the prison’s chief psychologist, respondent voluntarily agreed to participate in the sex offender program at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights. He quit the treatment program before completing it. Program staff rated respondent’s prognosis as poor, and he was transferred back to the St. Cloud facility. After less than a month, he was returned to Oak Park Heights because of predatory and assaul-tive behavior.

Because respondent had failed to complete treatment pursuant to the conditions of the stay on his sentence, the Becker County District Court executed that sentence, finding that respondent presented a clear and present danger to the public if he was released without treatment and that the interest of public safety required him to remain incarcerated.

Respondent was admitted into the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater, where he again refused to participate in sex offender treatment.

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815 F. Supp. 2d 1086 (D. Minnesota, 2011)
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799 N.W.2d 643 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2011)
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In Re the Civil Commitment of Stone
711 N.W.2d 831 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2006)
Whitten v. State
690 N.W.2d 561 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2005)

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661 N.W.2d 632, 2003 Minn. App. LEXIS 602, 2003 WL 21152537, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-civil-commitment-of-martin-minnctapp-2003.