By Özge Terzioğlu
SACRAMENTO – A contrast in outcomes in two cases in one Sacramento County Superior Court Department Monday – one arson defendant was sent to a state facility to help him, and one military vet was sent to jail when technical issues couldn’t get him into “Veteran’s Court.”
The first defendant – accused of felony arson in May – is heading to a state hospital’s custody so he can be forced to take his anti-psychotic medication.
Judge Timothy Frawley ordered Sabay Keoveunexay’s placement in the state facility, as recommended by a doctor who said the defendant cannot make smart decisions regarding his anti-psychotic medication.
The doctor said the defendant has poor personal hygiene and cannot properly give himself his own medicine if he is left to his own devices.
Although the doctor said that the defendant is not a danger to himself, his impulsive behavior might put others at risk – he has a long standing history of such behavior, the court said.
Judge Frawley echoed the doctor’s orders and authorized the defendant should be given his medication in the facility.
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In the last hearing in Dept. 62 Monday, when defendant Richard Litalien arrived, the court was informed he was unable to get into veteran’s court because he needed a high level of care and would’ve been forced to relinquish his Veterans Medical benefits to do so.
Defendant Litalien entered a plea of no contest for a violation of PC 30305 (a) (1), felony violation of unlawful possession of four live 20 gauge shotgun shells.
Deputy District Attorney Cody Winchester read the facts: the defendant had outstanding warrants for his arrest, when law enforcement arrested him in his bedroom they also found four live 20 gauge shotgun shells which were illegal because he has a prior felony conviction from 2013 for the same offense.
Judge Frawley sentenced him to eight months in jail, which will run consecutive to his term that he’s currently serving. The defendant’s other violation was dismissed in light of the plea deal.
Özge Terzioğlu is from San Diego and she is a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Rhetoric and minoring in Turkish.
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