By Cynthia Hoang-Duong
WOODLAND, CA — At a trial-setting conference Thursday morning in Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Samuel T. McAdam issued a bench warrant in the amount of $1,000 and set a total bail amount of $7,000, while acknowledging the accused’s homelessness and declining health.
The judge began the proceeding by asking Deputy Public Defender Joseph Gocke if the accused was present. The DPD responded in the negative, adding that he was not appearing 977—or on behalf of his client, per Penal Code § 977. If he had been then the accused would not have had to be present.
The accused is involved in three separate cases: two misdemeanors involving petty theft, resisting an officer, and possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and one felony for vandalism.
Reading from a report provided by the probation department, Judge McAdam relayed probation’s last contact with the accused was July 12 under “5150,” meaning the accused was temporarily committed to a psychiatric hospital because she was at risk of endangering herself or others due to her mental illness.
DPD Gocke discussed the report with the judge, lamenting, “Unfortunately, [it] sounds like she’s having a lot of issues going on right now.” And the judge added, “Decompensated, out on the streets. She’s not doing well.”
When asked about the services she is receiving for her mental illness, the DPD reported that she was engaging in case management services through Health & Human Services with the assistance of a counselor.
However, as he noted, “Unfortunately, she might need more than what she was receiving.”
Despite her declining condition and need for sufficient services, Judge McAdam ultimately resorted to revoking her supervised own recognizance release (SOR), issuing a bench warrant in the amount of $1,000, and setting bail at $1,000 for each misdemeanor (totaling $2,000) and $5,000 for her felony offense.
