WOODLAND, Calif. — A woman accused of calling 911 with the intent to harass and resisting arrest had her bail set at $20,000 Tuesday in Yolo County Superior Court, even as the court acknowledged she was experiencing a psychiatric decline.
During the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Diane Ortiz argued that releasing the accused would have severe consequences, stating that her prior interactions with law enforcement showed she was not safe “to herself or those around her.”
The accused had police called on her five times previously, and the most recent incident included an altercation in which she accused a Davis police officer of raping her and screamed that she would kill one of the officers.
The accused, who was clearly experiencing a mental health crisis, reportedly “ran out of psychiatric medications, decreasing her ability to care for herself,” according to Ortiz.
Deputy Public Defender Kumar Sankara requested that the accused be released on the grounds that there was no documented violent history, such as assault, but the request was denied.
Ortiz argued that the accused has a “history” of mental health concerns and that releasing her would pose a public safety risk.
The accused had also failed to follow court orders, leading to two additional misdemeanor charges.
The judge ordered that a doctor be appointed but set bail at $20,000 and issued a denial of any other form of release.
The accused was remanded to the custody of the sheriff, where she will eventually receive a psychiatric evaluation.
Despite the appointment of a doctor, the accused remains in custody even after the court established that she was experiencing mental health concerns.
The bail amount was based on concerns about self-harm and public safety risk, but the defense stated it is neither a treatment nor a solution for providing appropriate psychiatric care.
The accused was already being treated for a mental disorder; therefore, the court failed to provide proper resources for her while she awaits her preliminary hearing, the defense argued.
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