Opinion ID: 1593630
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Antisocial Personality Disorder As a Basis for Civil Commitment

Text: Murrell's next two arguments are essentially the same: the State may not be permitted to commit Murrell because ASPD is not, in and of itself, sufficient to distinguish a sexually violent predator subject to civil commitment from an ordinary criminal better dealt with through the criminal justice system. However, he approaches the issue in two distinct ways.
The first issue presented is whether ASPD is a mental abnormality. Questions of statutory construction are strictly a matter of law and are for the independent judgment of this Court. City of St. Joseph v. Village of Country Club, 163 S.W.3d 905, 907 (Mo. banc 2005). The second issue presented, whether ASPD may provide sufficient evidence from which the jury may find an individual is more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence, is an evidentiary issue. The Court views the evidence in a light most favorable to the jury verdict, disregarding all contrary evidence and inferences, and determines whether the evidence was sufficient for twelve reasonable jurors to have believed beyond a reasonable doubt that Murrell is an SVP. Care and Treatment of Cokes v. State, 183 S.W.3d 281, 282 (Mo.App. 2005). [10]

Murrell's first argument is focused on the statutory definition of mental abnormality. He asserts that the statute requires a mental abnormality that is, in and of itself, linked to sexual offending. Consequently, he argues ASPD cannot, constitutionally, be used to form the basis of civil commitment, evidence of the disorder should not have been admitted, and he cannot be found to fall within the definition of an SVP. The Court held that under Kansas v. Crane, 534 U.S. 407, 122 S.Ct. 867, 151 L.Ed.2d 856 (2002), the degree to which a person cannot control his behavior must be serious difficulty. decided In the Matter of the Care and Treatment of Thomas v. State, 74 S.W.3d 789, 791 (Mo. banc 2002). Under section 632.480 and Crane, mental abnormality is (1) a congenital or acquired condition; (2) affecting the emotional or volitional capacity; (3) that predisposes the person to commit sexually violent offenses; (4) in a degree that causes the individual serious difficulty controlling his behavior. [11] See id. at 792. Murrell's argument that the SVP statute requires a mental abnormality that, in and of itself, predisposes a person to commit sexually violent offenses fails. Missouri's SVP statute need only require evidence of past sexually violent behavior and a present mental condition that creates a likelihood of such conduct in the future if the person is not incapacitated. Kansas v. Hendricks, 521 U.S. 346, 357-358, 117 S.Ct. 2072, 138 L.Ed.2d 501 (1997). Civil commitment statutes have been upheld when they have coupled proof of dangerousness with the proof of some additional factor, such as a 'mental illness' or 'mental abnormality.' Id. at 358, 117 S.Ct. 2072. Mental abnormality, as used in Hendricks , includes personality disorders. See id. (The recommitment requirement of a `mental abnormality' or 'personality disorder' is consistent with the requirements of these other statutes that we have upheld in that it narrows the class of persons eligible for confinement to those who are unable to control their dangerousness.). Murrell is correct insofar as he argues that a diagnosis of ASPD, based upon a criminal history devoid of any sexual crimes, cannot, standing alone, satisfy the statutory definition of an SVP; that evidence would only satisfy the mental condition aspect. Murrell is also correct to the extent he argues sexually deviant disorders such as sadism and pedophilia, which are mental abnormalities necessarily involving a propensity to commit sexual offenses, satisfy the statutory definition standing alone. Simply because ASPD cannot in every case be enough, however, does not make it too imprecise. If ASPD is linked with sexually violent behavior, it can provide the basis for commitment.
Murrell's second argument that ASPD does not distinguish him from the common criminal is focused on the definition of sexually violent predator. He argues that even if ASPD is a mental abnormality, it provides insufficient evidence to support a finding that he is more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence in the future if not confined. Again, while Murrell is correct that ASPD is not, in and of itself, sufficient to provide a basis for a finding that an individual is more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined, ASPD will be sufficient when combined with other evidence of sexually violent behavior. There was evidence of sexually violent behavior in this case. The jury heard from both Dr. Hoberman and Dr. Gunnin that ASPD predisposes Murrell to commit sexually violent offenses. They heard testimony of Murrell's past sexually violent crimes. On one occasion, Murrell raped two women. Prior to the rape, one of the victims asked to use the bathroom. Murrell followed her and before she could pull her pants back up he put his arm around her, rubbed her on her thighs and in between her legs while holding a knife to her, and made her grab his penis. The second victim testified that after they arrived at a house Murrell ordered them to remove their clothes while holding his shotgun, and he and the other men took turns with them. Specifically, she told the jury that Murrell raped her several times vaginally and orally, and made her perform oral sex on him. While she was being raped, he told her he would kill her if she told anyone, and he grabbed her hair and smacked her head on the floor. The jury heard accounts of the sexual molestation of a 13-year-old girl. Dr. Hoberman noted that although Murrell tried to wait until he was alone with the girl to fondle her, he did it in a house in which his ex-girlfriend was present, and the girl's friend did, in fact, see the incident occur. When Murrell fondled the young girl's breasts under her bra, she asked him to stop, but he continued to fondle her breasts over her bra and shirt. The jury heard two experts in this case, Drs. Gunnin and Hoberman, testify that based on their clinical evaluations and on actuarial instruments, they believed Murrell's ASPD makes it more likely than not he will engage in sexually violent behavior in the future if not confined. Dr. Hoberman testified that the actuarial tools he used put Murrell in the high risk category for reoffense. He stated that Murrell refuses, at times, to take the medication that helps him control his behavior and that he has had aggressive outbursts in prison at least twice in 2004. The evidence showed that Murrell has never completed a drug treatment or sex offender treatment program. Murrell himself indicated that when depressed he feels like someone else takes over him and endorsed the statement, behaviors occur due to instinct and you have no control over them. Dr. Hoberman's opinion was based in part on the fact that Murrell has been free, collectively, for only a little over a year since he was 18 and in that time has committed multiple sexual offenses, each involving more than one act of assault. While on conditional release after his arrest for stabbing a man, Murrell abducted two women at gunpoint and repeatedly raped them. When Murrell was released after his incarceration for rape, he molested a 13-year-old child only 4 months later.
Antisocial personality disorder qualifies as a mental abnormality within the meaning of section 632.480, as interpreted by Thomas, if it is linked to past sexually violent behavior. ASPD will provide the evidentiary basis for a finding that a person is an SVP if there is also evidence that the individual is more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence in the future if not confined. Murrell has committed sex crimes in two instances, each involving multiple acts of assault, one with multiple victims. Murrell committed the sex crimes impulsively, with little hesitation and without thinking about the consequences of his actions. The evidence showed that in the past he has exhibited no remorse or regret for those crimes. There was sufficient evidence in this case of the link between ASPD and sexually violent behavior for the jury to find Murrell is an SVP under the statute and distinguishable from the typical recidivist. To borrow language from Hendricks , Murrell's lack of volitional control, coupled with a prediction of future dangerousness, adequately distinguishes [Murrell] from other dangerous persons who are perhaps more properly dealt with exclusively through criminal proceedings. Hendricks, 521 U.S. at 360, 117 S.Ct. 2072. This Court's holding on this point is in accord with previous decisions of all three districts of the court of appeals of this state. See In the Matter of the Care and Treatment of Heikes v. State, 170 S.W.3d 482, 486 (Mo.App.2005) (holding a personality disorder can constitute a mental abnormality if all of the statutory elements are met); In re Shafer, 171 S.W.3d 768, 771-72 (Mo.App.2005) (affirming commitment of sex offender with ASPD); In the Matter of the Care and Treatment of Pate, 137 S.W.3d 492, 497 (Mo.App.2004) (holding narcissistic personality disorder with antisocial features qualifies as a mental abnormality).