In Re The Det. Of: Erik S. Hanson, App v. State, Res.

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedFebruary 9, 2015
Docket70139-8
StatusUnpublished

This text of In Re The Det. Of: Erik S. Hanson, App v. State, Res. (In Re The Det. Of: Erik S. Hanson, App v. State, Res.) 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
In Re The Det. Of: Erik S. Hanson, App v. State, Res., (Wash. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

In the Matter of the Detention of No. 70139-8-1 ERIK HANSON DIVISION ONE STATE OF WASHINGTON, i

Respondent, UNPUBLISHED OPINION CD v. en

ERIK HANSON,

Appellant. FILED: February 9, 2015

Schindler, J. — Erik Hanson appeals his civil commitment as a sexually violent

predator under chapter 71.09 RCW. Hanson argues the trial court erred by (1) denying

his motion for a mistrial, (2) denying his right to present a defense by refusing to treat a

fact witness as an expert, (3) denying his request for a Frve1 hearing, and (4) limiting

the scope of questioning potential jurors during voir dire. We affirm.

FACTS

Erik Hanson was convicted in juvenile court in 1987 of first degree incest and

indecent liberties. In 1989, Hanson pleaded guilty in juvenile court to first degree child

molestation.

1 Frve v. United States. 54 App. D.C. 46, 293 F. 1013 (1923). No. 70139-8-1/2

In 1999, Hanson pleaded guilty to attempted second degree rape and was

sentenced to 120 months in prison. In January 2009, the State filed a petition to

involuntarily commit Hanson as a sexually violent predator under chapter 71.09 RCW.

Licensed psychologist Dr. Christopher North evaluated Hanson in September

2005 and again in December 2012. Dr. North diagnosed Hanson with "Paraphilia, Not

Otherwise Specified (NOS) (coercive, females);" exhibitionism; cannabis dependence;

social phobia; and antisocial personality disorder. The State identified Dr. North as an

expert witness at trial.

Hanson identified licensed psychologist Dr. Robert Halon as an expert witness

who would testify at trial. Dr. Halon evaluated Hanson in 2009 and again in 2013.

On the first day of the trial on March 11, 2013, the State moved to exclude expert

opinion testimony from any defense witness other than Dr. Halon.2

Hanson's attorney told the court that "last week" during the deposition of a

Special Commitment Center (SCC) residential counselor for the Washington State

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), the attorney learned that the

counselor, John Rockwell, had "an opinion about Mr. Hanson and his treatment that he

received at [the Sex Offender Treatment Program] and the way he's internalized the

treatment." Hanson's attorney asked the court to allow Rockwell to testify "as an expert

in sex offender treatment" for the limited purpose of presenting his opinion that "Erik

Hanson has benefited significantly from treatment."

The State argued that Hanson had not previously disclosed Rockwell as a

potential expert but rather as a fact witness, that Rockwell had only limited contact with

Hanson, and that Rockwell did not provide sex offender treatment to Hanson. Hanson's

2 Hanson waived his right to be present at trial. No. 70139-8-1/3

attorney argued neither party had "followed any of the discovery guidelines in this case,"

and the State could have deposed Rockwell at any time. But Hanson's attorney told the

court Rockwell's opinion might be unnecessary if Dr. North testifies that "Mr. Hanson

internalized treatment and did very well with it, and still continues to live by the

principles." The trial court reserved ruling "until after Dr. North testifies."

At trial, the State presented the testimony of the victim of the 1999 conviction for

attempted rape in the second degree, Mary Beth Woll. Woll testified that in January

1999, she was working as a coordinator at a church. Woll said that Hanson was

unemployed and homeless and asked her to help him. Woll made calls on Hanson's

behalf to various community service providers, purchased groceries for him, and gave

him cash for bus fare. Woll invited Hanson to come to her house and join her family for

dinner.

After dinner, Woll drove Hanson back to the homeless shelter where he was

staying. When Woll stopped to let him out, Hanson climbed out of the passenger seat

and into the back seat of Woll's van to collect a bag of groceries. Hanson reached over

the back seat and began to strangle Woll. Woll testified that as she struggled against "a

strap of some kind" around her neck, she heard herself making "gurgling, unhuman

sounds," and she thought she "was being strangled to death." Woll testified that it was

"excruciatingly painful," and she eventually passed out. Woll said that when she woke

up, she was lying face up on her back on the back seat with Hanson on top of her and his face very close to her. Hanson began to apologize. After Woll yelled at Hanson to

get out, he left. No. 70139-8-1/4

Woll testified that she had trouble swallowing, that she suffered bruising on her

neck, and that she had broken blood vessels in her eyes, her neck, and all over her face

that looked "bright red like a sun burn."

The State next introduced into evidence Hanson's videotaped deposition and

documents detailing his prior criminal convictions. The State also introduced into

evidence a videotaped deposition of former treatment provider Gaylen Gold.

Gold testified about the admissions Hanson made during treatment, such as he

"planned and had sexual fantasies several days" prior to sexually assaulting his five-

year-old cousin, "poked her with a pick-up stick to make her feel pain," and refused to

stop when she asked. Hanson admitted that he "posted his sister as a look-out to

prevent detection" while he assaulted his cousin. Hanson also admitted that he "anally

raped his five-year-old brother. . . and sexually abused him every night for

approximately two years."

Gold testified that Hanson told him that he "rubbed his penis against the buttocks

and vaginas of his [two] eight-year-old cousins . . . when he was nine years old [and]

had them perform oral sex on him." Hanson also admitted that he "physically abused

his [two] sisters ... to gain compliance for oral, anal, and vaginal sex . . . several times

daily every other weekend when the girls visited their biological mother" over "a three-

year period." Hanson said that he "sexually" fondled "various pets" and "killed a pet

guinea pig by sticking a pencil in the animal's vagina."

Gold also testified that Hanson admitted that he "physically assaulted and

planned to sexually assault a female teacher following two weeks of deviant

fantasizing." Gold testified that Hanson also told him that he "planned to physically No. 70139-8-1/5

assault an adult female janitor because she angered him" but "was discouraged from

his plan for fear of possible intervention by a co-worker."

Dr. North diagnosed Hanson with paraphilia NOS, exhibitionism, and antisocial

personality disorder. Dr. North testified about the diagnosis. Dr. North described the

"most dangerous" "antisocial personalities" as "psychopaths." Dr. North defined a

"psychopath" as "someone who lacks a conscience,... has sort of a 'me first' approach to the world," and "disregard[s] the feelings and the rights and welfare of other people."

Outside the presence of the jury, Hanson's attorney objected to Dr. North's use of the

term "psychopath" as unduly prejudicial and lacking a proper foundation. After a lengthy colloquy, the trial court overruled the objection.

When trial resumed, Dr. North described the "Hare Psychopathy Checklist

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