Other LanguagesKELSO — The Attorney General’s Office has filed a petition in Cowlitz County Superior Court seeking to civilly commit a violent sex offender and prevent his release into the community.
James Wynn, 53, was convicted of four sexually violent offenses in 1991: Two counts of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree kidnapping. He was sentenced to 344 months in prison.
Wynn was due to be released on Dec. 20, but the Attorney General’s Office petitioned to have Wynn committed, alleging that he is mentally ill and sexually dangerous. Today a judge found probable cause to believe Wynn is a sexually violent predator, a preliminary ruling which allows the state to detain him for further proceedings.
Washington’s Sexually Violent Predator law allows the state Attorney General’s Office to petition for the civil commitment of violent sex offenders who, because of a mental abnormality and/or personality disorder, are proven likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if released.
The civil commitment petition consists of allegations that have not yet been proven in a court of law. The State of Washington has the burden to prove the allegations in court.
“The Attorney General’s Office works hard to prevent the release of dangerous sexually violent offenders into our communities,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
In 1990, Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a law permitting the involuntary civil commitment of sex offenders after they have served their criminal sentences. The Attorney General’s SVP Unit was established shortly thereafter.
The AGO SVP unit is responsible for prosecuting sex predator cases for 38 of Washington’s 39 counties (King County being the exception). In Fiscal Year 2014, the unit tried 14 cases, won 9 civil commitments and secured one recommitment. Three trials ended in hung juries and one trial involved an offender who didn’t meet the criteria to be committed as a sexually violent predator.
As of October 2014, 294 sexually violent predators are in the state’s Special Commitment Program.
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The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal office for the state of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is working hard to protect consumers and seniors against fraud, keep our communities safe, protect our environment and stand up for our veterans. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.
Contacts:
Alison Dempsey-Hall, Acting Communications Director