Man who gouged girlfriend's eyes to be returned to state facility (Update)

ktrk ^

[chance33_98]

Man who gouged girlfriend's eyes to be returned to state facility

6/23/03 - HOUSTON) — A man who gouged his girlfriend's eyes with a steak knife was released to an outpatient care facility Friday without a judge's permission, and on Monday was headed backed to a state hospital, where a court official said he will remain until a hearing next week.

Janet Warner, a spokeswoman for the administrative office of the Harris County district courts, said Nathan Dale Campbell, 29, became ineligible last week to remain at the Kerrville State Hospital, which was responsible for recommending a proper outpatient facility for him.

Campbell had been committed to state hospital care since he was found innocent of a 1996 attack on his girlfriend. Jurors determined in 1997 that Campbell was legally insane when he gouged the eyes of his girlfriend, Kristen West, after she refused his marriage proposal.

"The treatment team from Kerrville was looking for the proper placement for Nathan and on June 30 was supposed to report to the judge," Warner said on behalf of state District Judge Debbie Mantooth-Stricklin, who was out of the state Monday. "(The judge) did not order his release. He just didn't qualify any more to be held on an inpatient basis."

Warner said defendants who are deemed legally insane can only be committed to a state hospital for a 12-month period. Each year, defendants who are found innocent by reason of insanity are re-evaluated by the trial court to determine whether they should remain committed to a state hospital.

Last month, Stricklin deemed Campbell was well enough to be released to an outpatient facility in San Antonio and imposed a number of stringent rules he must follow to remain free. Those rules included that Campbell stay away from West and her family and attend mandatory therapy for drug abuse and anger management.

Warner said the details for Campbell's release had not been finalized and officials with the Kerrville State Hospital were supposed to recommend a proper outpatient facility for Campbell next Monday at a scheduled court hearing.

Nan Schiavo, a spokeswoman for the Kerrville State Hospital, said she could not comment on the situation because state law prohibits her from discussing the hospital's clients.

The Houston Chronicle reported in Monday's editions that after Campbell, who has bipolar disorder, reported to the San Antonio outpatient facility where he was taken by the Kerrville State Hospital, he turned up missing.

Kristen West's mother, Jan West, told the paper she was "deeply concerned" about Campbell's release.

"I thought everything had been handled," she told the newspaper.

The owner of the boarding home where Campbell was taken said she received no information from Kerrville State Hospital authorities about Campbell's history.

Harris County prosecutor Colleen Barnett told the newspaper Campbell should not have been released to Gleason's care and that he apparently was with his mother after his release.

[chance33_98]

Man released to facility missing-legally insane in 1997 after trying to gouge out girlfriend's eyes

[freebilly]

Hey, who's gonna let a little thing like a steak knife in the eyes ruin a perfectly good relationship....

[trebb]

He'll probably be incarcerated for twice as long after he goes back and actually kills her...

[7 x 77]

imposed a number of stringent rules he must follow to remain free

Why, this here pokin' out of girl friend's eyes has gotta stop, you understand me son?

[chance33_98]

"We're keeping our eyes on you son."

[7 x 77]

mandatory therapy for drug abuse and anger management

I feel pretty, oh so pretty, ...

[lilylangtree]

Good grief! He shouldn't be released. If he's well enough to get out of the hospital, he needs to be remanded to the nearest penitentiary, locked away and the key thrown away.

[eastsider]

Are the stars out tonight
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I only have eyes for you dear
The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I only have eyes for you
I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here and so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you.

[Diddle E. Squat]

This is the kind of issue that should be added to the special session. Change the insanity defense to guilty but insane, with the caveat that once the person is ruled competent enough to be removed from guarded psychiatric care, then the sentence reverts to penalties equivalent to a normal guilty charge. For example, if x degree murder equals 40 years, but the person is convicted of guilty but insane and serves 4 years in psych. confinement, if he then gets declared compentent he moves to a prison to serve out the remaining 36 years.

[MEG33]

I like it.

[Xenalyte]

The Houston Chronicle reported in Monday's editions that after Campbell, who has bipolar disorder, reported to the San Antonio outpatient facility where he was taken by the Kerrville State Hospital, he turned up missing.

Does bipolar disorder usually cause such extreme violence?

[chance33_98]

Well, that is a tricky question. If we say it does than people will either want to lock up people with it, or get the government to pay for the meds (in the interest of safety). If we say it dosen't, and it probably is a factor, than people will just shrug and ignore it. Maybe it is like alcohol in some ways - if your an idiot before you drink, you magnify that the more you drink :)