Opinion ID: 1375344
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The ICA erred in vacating the circuit court order and remanding the case for further proceedings.

Text: The state alleges that the ICA erred in vacating the circuit court order and remanding for further proceedings. The state argues that the circuit court order denying Miller's petition for release should be affirmed because (1) the circuit court did not clearly err, and (2) if there was error, it was harmless because the state proved its case to a higher level of proof than that required by law. The ICA explained in its Order Denying Motion for Reconsideration filed on January 27, 1995, that the circuit court's order was vacated and remanded because the evidentiary hearing was conducted without a clear understanding of which side had to prove what and to what degree. According to the ICA majority opinion, the state has the initial burden at the discharge or conditional release hearing to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the insanity acquittee is suffering from a legal mental illness that renders him or her dangerous to himself or herself or others. The burden then shifts to the insanity acquittee to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he or she is not suffering from a mental illness or that he or she is no longer dangerous. Because the state did not allege and prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Miller suffers from a legally recognized mental illness, the ICA vacated the circuit court order and remanded this case for further proceedings. We disagree with the ICA. The applicant's status as an insanity acquittee carries with it a presumption that the insanity acquittee is still suffering from a mental disease, disorder, or defect, and is dangerous. See Jones, 463 U.S. at 366, 103 S.Ct. at 3050. It would be superfluous to require the state to once again allege and prove that the insanity acquittee is suffering from a mental illness and is dangerous. Under our statutory scheme, [11] the burden remains at all times with the insanity acquittee to prove that he or she is eligible for discharge or conditional release. Having determined that the insanity acquittee has the burden of proof throughout the release proceeding, we next consider whether the circuit court's order should have been vacated or affirmed. At the conclusion of the release hearing, the circuit court found that Miller suffers from antisocial personality disorder and sexual sadism, and that he is dangerous. The circuit court's only error stems from the misapplication of Foucha. Rather than placing the burden on Miller to prove his eligibility for release by a preponderance of the evidence, the circuit court placed the burden on the state to prove by clear and convincing evidence that Miller was not fit to be released. The error obviously did not prejudice Miller, but actually benefitted him. The onus was erroneously placed on the state to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that Miller was both insane and dangerous. We therefore hold that the circuit court's misapplication of the standard of proof in this case was harmless to Miller. The ICA also decided to vacate and remand the circuit court's order because the circuit court failed to specifically find that Miller suffered from a legally recognized mental illness. The ICA correctly observes that it is unclear if Miller's diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder constitute a legal mental illness, or an abnormality manifested only by repeated penal or otherwise antisocial conduct. However, we need not examine this issue because the circuit court also found that Miller currently suffers from a mental disease, disorder or defect of sexual sadism[.]