Opinion ID: 2588468
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Strauss

Text: The evidence of lack of control over behavior in Strauss' case was sufficient for the jury to find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Strauss had serious difficulty controlling his urge to rape at the time of commitment. Strauss was diagnosed with paraphila not otherwise specified, sexual sadism, and antisocial personality disorder. The State's expert testified that the combination of these disorders was a very, very lethal cocktail that will enable somebody to go out and carry on raping. 11 RP (Strauss) at 196. The evidence proved that Strauss committed his last rape 39 days after his release, while still on parole from an earlier rape conviction. In Strauss' deposition, taken a month before the commitment hearing, he testified that he did not remember the details of the rapes he had committed, was not certain why he had committed them, or what had drawn him to particular victims. Strauss testified the women he victimized were just, happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, which he further elaborated meant ... [a]n unpopulated area, nobody around, they're there by themselves. 2 CP (Strauss) at 255. Although Strauss conceded he had a behavioral problem, he testified that he had not sought counseling to help him gain behavioral control. Finally, when asked if he had ever been able to effectively control his impulse to rape, Strauss answered that he was unable to respond [b]asically because I don't recall ever being in a position of [sic] on the verge of attacking someone and not attacking somebody. 2 CP (Strauss) at 255-56. We hold the evidence was sufficient for the jury to find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Strauss had serious difficulty controlling his urge to rape at the time of commitment.