Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03048/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03048-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 540
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Mandamus and Other
Cause of Action: 

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1The Honorable David S. Doty, United States District Judge for the District of

Minnesota, adopting the report and recommendations of the Honorable Susan Richard

Nelson, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Minnesota.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 03-3048

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* District of Minnesota

Kenneth Epps, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellant. *

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Submitted: April 15, 2004

Filed: April 26, 2004

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Before BYE, McMILLIAN, and RILEY, Circuit Judges.

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PER CURIAM.

Federal inmate Kenneth Epps appeals from the final judgment entered in the

United States District Court1

 for the District of Minnesota committing him to the

custody of the Attorney General under 18 U.S.C. § 4245, which provides for the

involuntary hospitalization of an imprisoned person suffering from a mental disease

Appellate Case: 03-3048 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/26/2004 Entry ID: 1760495 
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or defect, until treatment is no longer needed or the expiration of the inmate’s

sentence, whichever occurs first. After a hearing, the district court found the

government had met its burden of establishing by a preponderance of evidence that

Epps suffers from a mental illness requiring treatment in a suitable facility, such as

the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester, Minnesota. See 18 U.S.C. § 4245(d)

(burden of proof). Contrary to Epps’s argument on appeal, we conclude the district

court’s finding was not clearly erroneous. See United States v. Eckerson, 299 F.3d

913, 914-15 (8th Cir. 2002) (per curiam) (standard of review). Specifically, the

government offered testimony of FMC staff psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Shine, who saw

Epps regularly over a considerable period of time. Dr. Shine’s opinion concerning

Epps’s diagnosis and need for treatment, expressed at the hearing and in a written

psychological evaluation, supported the district court’s order. 

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the district court. Counsel’s motion

to withdraw is granted.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 03-3048 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/26/2004 Entry ID: 1760495