San Diego County Sheriff's Department: UPDATE: Sexually Violent Predator Placement Hearing – Borrego Springs

Santee CA

28 August, 2021

10:33 AM

Description

Press release from San Diego County Sheriff's Department: 08/27/2021 11:00 AM On August 23, 2021, Liberty Healthcare/CONREP informed San Diego Superior Court they were requesting Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) Merle Wakefield complete additional treatment at the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) prior to his release into the community. Superior Court Judge David M. Gill granted Liberty Healthcare/CONREP's request to release the property located at 1575 Yaqui Road in Borrego Springs that was being held as a potential placement for Wakefield. The placement hearing previously scheduled for September 13, 2021 has been cancelled. A further hearing to review the status of a potential placement for Wakefield has been scheduled for February 22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. in San Diego Superior Court, Department 2204, with Judge Gill.   Previous news release issued on July 28, 2021:  The San Diego Superior Court has ordered the conditional release of Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) Merle Wakefield.  If you live in the community of Borrego Springs, the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) has recommended the placement of  Merle Wakefield at 1575 Yaqui Road in Borrego Springs.  He was convicted of sexual assaults dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. While this address falls within the jurisdiction of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, NEITHER THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR THE SEXUAL ASSAULT FELONY ENFORCEMENT (SAFE) TASK FORCE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SELECTION OF THE PROPOSED SITE.  THAT SELECTION PROCESS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DSH AND THE SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT. Comments will be accepted during this placement hearing on: September 13, 2021 9:00 a.m. Hon. David M. Gill San Diego Superior Court Department 2204 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA 92101 With the hearing scheduled for September 13, 2021, the SAFE Task Force will be accepting public comments about the proposed placement of Merle Wakefield to be included in the formal response to the court and the Department of State Hospitals. Comments will be accepted between July 28 and August 11, 2021. You can e-mail your comments to: [email protected].  You can call (858) 495-3619.  You can mail your comments to: SVP Release/SAFE Task Force 9425 Chesapeake Drive San Diego, CA 92123 For more information about the legal designation, treatment and release from confined facilities of sexually violent predators, visit the San Diego County District Attorney's website by clicking here.  You can also visit the Department of State Hospital's website by clicking here. To learn more about the SAFE Task Force, click here. This press release was produced by San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The views expressed here are the author's own.