WOODLAND, CA – Judge Clara M. Levers set bail at $10,000 in a misdemeanor hearing this last week in Yolo County Superior Court for a man charged with misdemeanor battery in two cases.
The ruling came despite arguments from the defense that there was no evidence the accused poses a public safety threat, and the accused could not afford the bail.
According to Dr. Justin Chatten-Brown, Chief of Staff at Woodland Memorial Hospital, the accused is not an original patient of the Memorial Hospital; he “was brought in as a last resort because he has been violent in other facilities.”
Dr. Chatten-Brown said the accused “assaulted workers twice” after being brought to the hospital for treatment. He expresses concern with public safety if he were to be released.
The deputy public defender requested the accused’s custody status be reviewed provided both charges were misdemeanors.
Dr. Chatten-Brown cited AB 977, a state law protecting healthcare workers as evidence that the accused should be kept in custody because his “behaviors have been unpredictable” and the hospital is not confident it “will be able to keep (its) providers, staff, or patients safe were he to return.”
The Chief of the Department of the Public Guardian with Yolo County also stated the accused was a public safety risk given his “unpredictable” behavior that indicated a need for psychiatric treatment.
The defense argued, despite misdemeanor charges, the state wanted to keep the accused in custody until the Public Guardian can find proper placement for him because of the “extraordinary” nature of the situation.
The defense maintained that because the accused has “no criminal record” and is being charged with misdemeanors, he poses no public safety threat, adding the court should not be able to make “the Humphrey finding that he cannot be released,” given the lack of evidence that he poses “a great risk to society.”
The defense emphasized “this is not a concrete plan. These are misdemeanors…at some point he should be released…I’m not seeing assault behaviors being carried out…no actual criminal behaviors have been charged.”
Judge Levers ruled to keep the accused in custody, setting bail at $5,000 per charge, totaling $10,000. The defense noted the accused would be unable to afford the bail amount because “as the court heard, he is on a conservatorship.”
Despite arguments from the defense the accused had no criminal record, no recorded violent history and would be unable to afford bail, Judge Levers ruled to keep him in custody and upheld the $10,000 bail.
