A week ago a jury deliberated for less than two hours before
issuing a verdict that convicted sex predator Lance Purcell be
recommitted to Coalinga State Hospital.
A week ago a jury deliberated for less than two hours before issuing a verdict that convicted sex predator Lance Purcell be recommitted to Coalinga State Hospital.
In 1994 Purcell was convicted of attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old from her home in Hollister. His previous convictions – gruesome in their violence – landed him a 16-year state prison sentence.
Purcell is up for re-evaluation every two years. Should a jury be convinced that Purcell is no longer a threat to society, he can go free.
We believe that having Purcell come up every two years before a jury is a colossal waste of taxpayer money and that he should be put away longer. Court costs, expert witnesses, attorney fees, the cost of doing this every two years is ridiculous.
And yes, there is that aspect, “justice.” Purcell’s attorney, George Barton, makes excellent points regarding the fallacies of the system. Purcell has actually served his time. He is not re-committed to a prison, but a hospital. Barton states that he does not believe Purcell to be a threat. The term “perversion of justice” is often used to describe such situations. There are those who believe the legal system in such sexual cases is stacked against the offender.
It may be a valid point. But we still thank the jury for sending Purcell away again.
It’s that recidivism-rate thing. The repeat offender statistics. They are somewhat overwhelming. An expert witness on the Purcell trial, Dr. Robert Owens, said “of the 500 SVP (sexually violent predator) evaluations I have done, I have only seen a handful of people like Purcell. Mr. Purcell is one of the most dangerous.” In his cross-examination Barton elicited the information that Owens has made more than $1 million during the past five years serving as an expert witness, and in fact admits that no one can be certain if Purcell would re-offend.
So yes, the system is not exactly objective.
And yes, repeat offense is endemic of sexual predators. Purcell has multiple convictions that include rape, molestation, and assault with a deadly weapon. These convictions date back to the 1960s. He has aged, but we do not believe particularly well.
One legal expert told us the most recent Purcell trial cost taxpayers in the neighborhood of $200,000. We wish this did not have to occur every two years. It would be better to put Lance Purcell away longer.
