Opinion ID: 1449169
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Tyson has been charged and convicted repeatedly for indecent exposure, open lewdness, and other indecent conduct. Since his first charge for indecent exposure in 1959, he has been arrested on numerous occasions for exposing himself to young girls. He was most recently charged with molesting two young sisters, aged seven years old and 10 years old, in 1996. He pleaded guilty to first-degree child molestation and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Before he completed serving his sentence, the State filed a petition to indefinitely civilly commit him as a sexually violent predator (SVP) under the SVP Act. Two requirements must be met for an individual to be considered an SVP: (1) the person must suffer from a mental abnormality which makes the person more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility; and (2) the person [h]as pled guilty or been found guilty, or been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to [section 552.030, RSMo 2000], of a sexually violent offense; or . . . been committed as a criminal sexual psychopath. . . . [3] Section 632.480(5). The issues in this case center on whether the State properly proved the first requirement to find Tyson is an SVPwhether he suffers from a mental abnormality that makes him more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined as an SVP. In the process of attempting to commit an individual as an SVP, the State petitions the probate division to make probable cause determinations that the charged individual is an SVP. [4] Sec. 632.489. The State argued that Tyson should be committed as an SVP because he is a pedophile, an exhibitionist, and displays antisocial personality disorder with psychopathic traits. The probate division expressly rejected the State's contentions that it had presented sufficient evidence at the probable cause hearing to show that Tyson suffered from pedophilia. In relevant part, the probate division found: [5] [T]he State failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent is a pedophile, not because it failed to show that [he] has an attraction to prepubescents, but because it failed to show that the attraction lasted 6 months. The State did prove by clear and convincing evidence that [Tyson] has a diagnosable personality disorder. The probate division, however, found that there was probable cause to believe that [Tyson] suffers from antisocial personality disorder with psychopathic traits, that such a disorder is a mental abnormality . . . [and that] he is [an SVP] within the meaning of [section 632.480(5)]. As such, Tyson was bound over for a jury trial to determine whether he should be committed as an SVP. Sec. 632.492. Over Tyson's objections, the State's evidence at his SVP trial included evidence of pedophilia, as well as other evidence showing he was an SVP. [6] The jury found that he is an SVP, and he was civilly committed. Tyson appeals.