Opinion ID: 1058936
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Shivaee v. Commonwealth

Text: In 1996, Shivaee was convicted of four counts of aggravated sexual battery, in violation of Code § 18.2-67.3, and one count of indecent liberties, in violation of Code § 18.2-370.1. His victims were three girls, each less than 13 years old. He was sentenced to serve seven years of incarceration on each of the four aggravated sexual battery charges, with five years on each charge suspended, and two years on the indecent liberties charge, with one year suspended. In 1997, Shivaee was convicted of one count of forcible sodomy, in violation of Code § 18.2-67.1, based on an incident that occurred prior to his 1996 conviction. His victim was a boy less than 13 years old. He was sentenced to ten years of incarceration, with eight years suspended. Pursuant to the SVPA, the Attorney General (Commonwealth) filed a petition seeking Shivaee's civil commitment in lieu of his release on September 17, 2003. Pursuant to Code § 37.1-70.7, the trial court found probable cause existed that Shivaee is a sexually violent predator as defined in the SVPA and set the matter for trial. Prior to trial, Shivaee filed a motion to dismiss the petition for civil commitment on the grounds that the SVPA violates both the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution of Virginia. The trial court denied his motion. Pursuant to Code § 37.1-70.9(B), Shivaee was tried without a jury. At trial, Sherry Lawrence testified that Shivaee was the father of her sister's child, who was conceived when Shivaee was 57 years old and Lawrence's sister was 14 years old. Robert H. Steele, III, Shivaee's social worker in the Sex Offender Residential Treatment (SORT) Program while Shivaee was incarcerated, testified that Shivaee did not complete the SORT Program, only admitted to some inappropriate touching, and remained in denial as to most of his illegal interactions with children. Evan S. Nelson, Ph.D. (Dr.Nelson), testified as an expert witness on behalf of the Commonwealth. Dr. Nelson stated that Shivaee has a pattern of deviant interest in children, based on four female victims  including the teenage girl he statutorily raped and impregnated  and one male victim, and diagnosed Shivaee with the mental abnormality of pedophilia. Dr. Nelson testified that the mental abnormality of pedophilia creates a risk to re-offend, and opined that inpatient treatment was more suitable for Shivaee than outpatient treatment, especially in light of Shivaee's lack of progress in the SORT program. Dr. Nelson testified that inpatient treatment was the right venue to help Mr. Shivaee as well as to protect the public. Shivaee called one witness on his behalf, John A. Hunter, Jr., Ph.D. (Dr.Hunter). Dr. Hunter agreed that Shivaee suffered from pedophilia and that there is a risk of recidivism with all pedophiles. However, Dr. Hunter testified that Shivaee would be able to control his behavior with outpatient treatment. Upon consideration of the evidence, the trial court found by clear and convincing evidence that Shivaee was a sexually violent predator and ordered his civil commitment. Shivaee filed a timely petition for appeal, which we granted. He assigns three errors to the judgment of the trial court: (1) that the SVPA violates both the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Sections 8, 9, and 11 of the Constitution of Virginia; (2) that the trial court erred in ordering his civil commitment absent proof that he had serious difficulty controlling his behavior; and (3) that the evidence failed to satisfy the clear and convincing evidentiary standard.