Court Opinion

ID: 9947697
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-05 15:20:03.610175+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:27:15.620760
License: Public Domain

COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA

              Present: Judges Causey, Lorish and White
              Argued at Salem, Virginia
UNPUBLISHED

              STANLEY WAYNE MARTIN
                                                                            MEMORANDUM OPINION* BY
              v.     Record No. 0086-23-3                                     JUDGE LISA M. LORISH
                                                                                 MARCH 5, 2024
              COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

                                FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY
                                              Stacey W. Moreau, Judge

                              James C. Martin (Martin & Martin Law Firm, on brief), for
                              appellant.

                              Amanda L. Lavin, Assistant Attorney General (Jason S. Miyares,
                              Attorney General; M. Nicole Wittmann, Deputy Attorney General;
                              Susan Barr, Senior Assistant Attorney General, on brief), for
                              appellee.

                     After an annual review of Stanley Wayne Martin’s civil commitment as a sexually violent

              predator under Virginia’s Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act (SVPA),

              Code §§ 37.2-900 to -921, the circuit court entered an order recommitting Martin under the SVPA.

              Martin argues on appeal that the evidence was insufficient to prove that he remains a sexually

              violent predator. The Commonwealth presented uncontradicted expert testimony and reports,

              which concluded that Martin’s mental condition had not improved much compared to when he was

              first found to be a sexually violent predator by the court. In addition, two experts concluded that

              Martin was not an appropriate candidate for conditional release based on his reluctance to receive

                     *
                         This opinion is not designated for publication. See Code § 17.1-413(A).
treatment. Therefore, we affirm the circuit court because the evidence was sufficient to show

that he remains a sexually violent predator.

                                         BACKGROUND1

        In 1997, the circuit court convicted Martin for one count of rape and sentenced him to 15

years of incarceration. In 2016, upon the Commonwealth’s petition, the court determined that

Martin was a sexually violent predator under the SVPA and ordered him committed to the custody

of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department) for

appropriate treatment and confinement. The court recommitted Martin in 2017, 2018, 2020, and

2021.

        This appeal challenges the most recent annual review from December 2022. At that review

hearing, the Commonwealth’s sole witness was Daniel Montaldi, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at

the Department. Dr. Montaldi completed Martin’s annual review evaluation in March 2022 and an

addendum in December 2022, both of which the court admitted into evidence.2

        Dr. Montaldi diagnosed Martin with schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder. He

testified that Martin’s schizophrenia could have played a role in his prior rape offense and, without

proper medication, “could affect how clearly [someone] could think about the consequences of

acting on [his sexual urges]” and about “the possibility of breaking the law.” Additionally,

        1
         “[W]e view the facts in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the prevailing
party below.” Shivaee v. Commonwealth, 270 Va. 112, 127 (2005). “We also accord the
Commonwealth the benefit of all inferences fairly deducible from the evidence.” Id. (citing Stanley
v. Webber, 260 Va. 90, 95 (2000)).
        2
         The record in this case was sealed. Nevertheless, the appeal necessitates unsealing
relevant portions of the record to resolve the issues Martin has raised. Evidence and factual
findings below that are necessary to address the assignments of error are included in this opinion.
Consequently, “[t]o the extent that this opinion mentions facts found in the sealed record, we
unseal only those specific facts, finding them relevant to the decision in this case. The remainder
of the previously sealed record remains sealed.” Levick v. MacDougall, 294 Va. 283, 288 n.1
(2017).
                                                 -2-
Martin’s antisocial personality disorder diminished in him “the emotional aversion that the average

person would have toward breaking the law or violating the rights of other people.” Although

Martin’s antisocial behavior “seem[ed] to be mellowing with age,” Dr. Montaldi testified that there

is not necessarily a correlation between improved behavior in a secured facility like the Virginia

Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation (VCBR) and behavior in the community. Moreover,

Dr. Montaldi found that Martin’s condition had not “changed that much” compared to when he was

first found to be a sexually violent predator by the court. He rated Martin as having an above

average risk of sexual reoffending on the Static-99R actuarial assessment.

       Dr. Montaldi showed particular concern about Martin’s aversion to treatment. Martin was

housed in the VCBR, which coordinates sex offender programming consisting of three phases,

Phase III participants being the best candidates for conditional release. To advance to the next

phase or maintain placement in their current phase, the resident must complete specific treatment

objectives. In March and December 2022, Martin was assigned to the Overcoming Obstacles to

Treatment (OOT) program, a Phase I program for residents who “refuse to participate in regular

group treatment.” Although OOT residents are expected to have individualized contact with

VCBR staff, Martin did not attend a single session with his individual therapist in either of the two

quarters preceding Dr. Montaldi’s March 2022 report. Dr. Montaldi noted in March 2022 that

psychotropic medication had given Martin “much greater behavioral (including sexual) control, at

least in a secure setting away from minors.” By December 2022, however, Martin was regularly

refusing to take his medication. Without medication for his schizophrenia, Dr. Montaldi testified

that Martin has “problems with coherent thinking, anticipating consequences, [and] problem

solving . . . which adversely affect[s] his risk for sexual offending.”

       As such, Dr. Montaldi noted that “without participation in sex offender treatment,

Mr. Martin cannot make progress in dealing with risk factors.” As a result, Martin has made

                                                 -3-
“[i]nsufficient progress . . . to justify the opinion that Mr. Martin’s mental condition has changed

so fundamentally and permanently that the status of his mental disorders is now no longer what it

was at time of commitment.” Dr. Montaldi concluded that Martin remained a sexually violent

predator and was not suitable for conditional release.

        Alan T.M. von Kleiss, a board-certified clinical psychologist, provided a second opinion

report, which the court admitted into evidence. Dr. von Kleiss noted a “substantial and intense

worsening of [Martin’s] symptoms” since he first interviewed Martin ten years before. He

explained that Martin’s antisocial personality disorder caused him “difficulty in controlling his

predatory behavior and predisposes him to engage in sexually violent acts.” He also explained that

Martin’s schizophrenia “played a major role in the commission of his offense against his sister as

well as other inappropriate sexual acts.” Even so, Dr. von Kleiss questioned whether Martin

“pose[d] an ongoing risk to the community.” According to Dr. von Kleiss, “ample evidence is

growing to indicate that [Martin] is not likely to recidivate in the future due to his mental

abnormality (psychotic condition) and in fact [h]is psychotic condition may actually be protective

against sex offense recidivism in his case.” Even so, like Dr. Montaldi, Dr. von Kleiss ultimately

concluded that Martin remained a sexually violent predator and was not an appropriate candidate for

conditional release based on his reluctance to receive treatment.

        During argument, Martin argued that he did not meet the statutory criteria to be deemed a

sexually violent predator. He noted his behavioral progress, such as having “no documented acts of

sexually acting out.” He contended that the Commonwealth had not proved that he lacked control

over his sexual urges, as required by Kansas v. Crane, 534 U.S. 407 (2002). He also placed a

portion of the blame on VCBR’s reluctance to forcibly medicate him under Code § 37.2-1101. He

admitted that his “mental abnormality” and “personality disorder” “probably” “ma[d]e it difficult

for him to control his sexual urges.” But Martin maintained that the Commonwealth had failed to

                                                  -4-
prove by clear and convincing evidence that he was likely to commit a sexually violent offense if

placed on conditional release.

        The court found that Martin had not made progress because he refused to participate in sex

offender treatment. Accordingly, the court concluded that there was a continued risk that Martin

would commit sexually violent acts if released. The court recommitted Martin to the custody of the

Department.

                                              ANALYSIS

        When reviewing a challenge to a trial court’s sexually violent predator determination, this

Court “will not reverse the judgment of the trial court unless it is plainly wrong or without evidence

to support it.” Commonwealth v. Squire, 278 Va. 746, 749 (2009) (citing Higginbotham v.

Commonwealth, 216 Va. 349, 352 (1975)).

        A sexually violent predator is a person who has been “convicted of a sexually violent

offense” and “because of a mental abnormality or personality disorder, finds it difficult to control

his predatory behavior, which makes him likely to engage in sexually violent acts.” Code

§ 37.2-900. Once a court determines that a person is a sexually violent predator, that court must

hold a review hearing every year for the first five years, and then every other year after that. Code

§ 37.2-910(A). On review, the Commonwealth bears the burden of proving by “clear and

convincing evidence that the respondent remains a sexually violent predator.” Code § 37.2-910(C).

The Commonwealth can present expert testimony to meet its burden. See Shivaee v.

Commonwealth, 270 Va. 112, 127-28 (2005). “If the court finds that the respondent remains a

sexually violent predator, it shall order . . . secure inpatient hospitalization and treatment

or . . . conditional[] release[].” Code § 37.2-910(D). Such determinations must “be based on the

totality of the record, including but not limited to expert testimony.” DeMille v. Commonwealth,

283 Va. 316, 318 (2012).

                                                   -5-
       Martin claims that the evidence did not establish that he remained a sexually violent

predator. He argues that the Commonwealth failed to show a causal connection between his

schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder and a “difficulty to control predatory behavior

which would make him likely to engage in sexually violent acts.” He also maintains that the

Commonwealth did not meet its burden of proving that he is likely to commit sexual violence. We

disagree.

       A person cannot be civilly committed as a sexual offender without a lack-of-control

determination.3 Kansas v. Crane, 534 U.S. 407, 413 (2002). In so holding, the Supreme Court

explained that there is no “particularly narrow or technical meaning” defining a “lack of

control.” Id. Such determination “will not be demonstrable with mathematical precision.”

Shivaee, 270 Va. at 124 (quoting Crane, 534 U.S. at 413). The analysis aims “to distinguish the

dangerous sexual offender whose serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder subjects him to

civil commitment from the dangerous but typical recidivist convicted in an ordinary criminal

case.” Id. (quoting Crane, 534 U.S. at 413). Thus, “there must be a link from the finding of

dangerousness to a mental abnormality or illness that makes it difficult for the person to control

his dangerous behavior.” Id. at 122 (citing Crane, 534 U.S. at 413).

       Here, the circuit court relied on expert testimony and written reports to find a link

between Martin’s schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder and his difficulty controlling his

dangerous behavior. Dr. Montaldi stated that Martin’s antisocial personality disorder diminished in

him “the emotional aversion that the average person would have toward breaking the law or

violating the rights of other people.” Although his schizophrenia did not inherently cause sexual

urges, it could “clearly” impact how he thought about the consequences of acting on such urges as

       3
         This analysis applies to statutes that have a lack-of-control requirement. Kansas v.
Crane, 534 U.S. 407, 413 (2002). Virginia’s SVPA has such as requirement. See Shivaee, 270
Va. at 120 (applying the analysis in Crane to the SVPA).
                                                 -6-
well as “the possibility of breaking the law.” In addition, Dr. Montaldi found that Martin’s

condition had not “changed that much” compared to when he was first found to be a sexually

violent predator by the court. Dr. von Kleiss also explained that Martin’s antisocial personality

disorder made it difficult for him to “control[] his predatory behavior and predispose[d] him to

engage in sexually violent acts.” His own counsel admitted that Martin’s “mental abnormality” and

“personality disorder” “probably” “ma[d]e it difficult for him to control his sexual urges.”

Therefore, we find that there was sufficient evidence to show a causal link between his mental

conditions and his likelihood of committing sexually violent acts.

        Moreover, Martin failed to participate in treatment, which, according to Dr. Montaldi, has

impacted his ability to “make progress in dealing with risk factors.” He consistently refused to take

his medication, impairing his ability to think coherently, anticipate consequences, and solve

problems, all of “which adversely affect[s] his risk for sexual offending.” Consequently,

Dr. Montaldi rated Martin as posing an above average risk of “sexual recidivism.” Neither expert

believed Martin was suitable for conditional release, and ultimately, both experts concluded that

Martin was still a sexually violent predator.

        It was not plainly wrong for the circuit court to consider those opinions in the context of

Martin’s original offense. Thus, the circuit court’s finding that Martin remained a sexually violent

predator under Code § 37.2-900 was not plainly wrong or without evidentiary support.

                                           CONCLUSION

        For these reasons, the circuit court’s decision is affirmed.

                                                                                               Affirmed.

                                                 -7-