No. 14560
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF M N A A
O T N
I N THE MATTER O THE MENTAL
F
HEALTH OF RICHARD W. GOEDERT,
Appellant.
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e F i f t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t ,
H o n o r a b l e L. C. Gulbrandson, Judge p r e s i d i n g .
C o u n s e l o f Record:
For Appellant:
McCarvel a n d M a l t e s e , Glasgow, Montana
T e r r y L. S e i f f e r t a r g u e d , B i l l i n g s , Montana
F o r Respondent :
Hon. Mike G r e e l y , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , H e l e n a , Montana
Mary B. T r o l a n d a r g u e d , A s s i s t a n t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ,
H e l e n a , Montana
James McCann County A t t o r n e y , Wolf P o i n t , Montana
Submitted: F e b r u a r y 5 , 1979
Decided: 1 1979
Mr. J u s t i c e John Conway H a r r i s o n d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion o f
t h e Court.
F o l l o w i n g a combined a d j u d i c a t o r y and d i s p o s i t i o n a l
h e a r i n g on a p p e l l a n t ' s m e n t a l h e a l t h on September 28, 1978,
i n t h e ~ i s t r i c C o u r t of t h e F i f t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t ,
t
R o o s e v e l t County, t h e Honorable L . C. Gulbrandson found
a p p e l l a n t t o be s e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y ill a s d e f i n e d i n s e c t i o n
38-1302(14), R.C.M. 1947, now s e c t i o n 53-21-102(14) MCA.
A o r d e r of c o n f i n e m e n t w a s e n t e r e d on October 1 2 , 1978, and
a p p e l l a n t appeals.
On September 1 5 , 1978, a p p e l l a n t t h r e a t e n e d t o k i l l
I o n e Hughes when t h e two met i n a b a r i n P o p l a r , Montana.
Appellant l e f t t h e bar a f t e r t h i s i n c i d e n t b u t returned i n a
s h o r t t i m e and c o n t i n u e d t o t h r e a t e n M r s . Hughes. Appellant
was a r r e s t e d and a p e t i t i o n f o r commitment was f i l e d a g a i n s t
him.
Testimony adduced on September 28, 1978, and i n r e l a t e d
depositions revealed t h a t appellant has spent a s u b s t a n t i a l
p o r t i o n of t h e l a s t twenty y e a r s i n i n s t i t u t i o n s . Medical
t e s t i m o n y from two p s y c h o l o g i s t s i n d i c a t e d t h a t a p p e l l a n t
s u f f e r s from p a r a n o i d s c h i z o p h r e n i a . Both p s y c h o l o g i s t s
i n d i c a t e d t h a t a p p e l l a n t s h o u l d b e p l a c e d i n a s e c u r e d and
s t r u c t u r e d environment, a t l e a s t t e m p o r a r i l y , u n t i l h i s
mental condition s t a b i l i z e s . Various w i t n e s s e s , i n c l u d i n g
D i s t r i c t J u d g e M. James S o r t e , t e s t i f i e d a s t o a p p e l l a n t ' s
p a s t v i o l e n t b e h a v i o r and a s t o t h e i r c o n s e q u e n t f e a r o f
him.
With r e s p e c t t o t h e i n c i d e n t o f September 1 5 , t e s t i m o n y
r e v e a l e d t h a t a p p e l l a n t had i n t h e p a s t a c c u s e d M r s . Hughes
of p l a y i n g some p a r t i n t h e k i l l i n g of h i s b r o t h e r Gene i n
1973. A f t e r h i s a r r e s t on t h e 1 5 t h , a p p e l l a n t r e p e a t e d t h e
t h r e a t s a g a i n s t M r s . Hughes t o t h e a r r e s t i n g o f f i c e r .
A p p e l l a n t h i m s e l f s t a t e d a t t h e h e a r i n g t h a t t h e b e s t way t o
" b r e a k even" o r g e t r i d o f t h e p e o p l e who b o t h e r e d him was
t o k i l l them.
Based upon t h e e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d Judge Gulbrandson
found a p p e l l a n t t o b e s e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y ill. H e found t h a t
t h e Warm S p r i n g s S t a t e H o s p i t a l w a s t h e l e a s t r e s t r i c t i v e
a v a i l a b l e f a c i l i t y f o r p r o v i d i n g n e c e s s a r y t r e a t m e n t and
i s s u e d a n a p p r o p r i a t e o r d e r o f commitment.
A p p e l l a n t p r e s e n t s two i s s u e s f o r r e v i e w :
1. Whether t h e r e was s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t
t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s f i n d i n g t h a t a p p e l l a n t was s e r i o u s l y
m e n t a l l y ill w i t h i n t h e meaning of s e c t i o n 3 8 - 1 3 0 2 ( 1 4 ) ,
R.C.M. 1947, now s e c t i o n 53-21-102(14) MA
C ?
2. Whether t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t e r r e d i n committing
a p p e l l a n t t o Warm S p r i n g s S t a t e H o s p i t a l a s opposed t o a
less r e s t r i c t i v e f a c i l i t y f o r t r e a t m e n t of h i s s e r i o u s
mental i l l n e s s ?
S e c t i o n 38-1302(14), R.C.M. 1947, now s e c t i o n 53-21-
1 0 2 ( 1 4 ) MCA, d e f i n e s t h e p h r a s e " s e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y i l l " :
" ' S e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y ill' means s u f f e r i n g from
a m e n t a l d i s o r d e r which h a s r e s u l t e d i n s e l f -
inflicted injury o r injury t o others o r the
imminent t h r e a t t h e r e o f o r which h a s d e p r i v e d
t h e p e r s o n a f f l i c t e d of t h e a b i l i t y t o p r o t e c t
h i s l i f e o r health. No p e r s o n may b e i n v o l u n -
t a r i l y committed t o a m e n t a l h e a l t h f a c i l i t y o r
d e t a i n e d f o r e v a l u a t i o n and t r e a t m e n t b e c a u s e
h e i s a n e p i l e p t i c , m e n t a l l y d e f i c i e n t , men-
t a l l y r e t a r d e d , s e n i l e , o r s u f f e r i n g from a
m e n t a l d i s o r d e r u n l e s s t h e c o n d i t i o n c a u s e s him
t o b e s e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y ill w i t h i n t h e meaning
of t h i s chapter."
According t o t h i s d e f i n i t i o n and t h e f a c t s of t h e
i n s t a n t c a s e , a p p e l l a n t must s u f f e r from a m e n t a l d i s o r d e r
which h a s r e s u l t e d i n t h e imminent t h r e a t of s e l f - i n f l i c t e d
i n j u r y o r i n j u r y t o o t h e r s i n o r d e r t o b e adjudged "seri-
ously mentally i l l " . S e c t i o n 3 8 - 1 3 0 5 ( 7 ) , R.C.M. 1947, now
s e c t i o n 53-21-126(2) MCA, p r o v i d e s i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t t h a t
"imminent t h r e a t o f s e l f - i n f l i c t e d i n j u r y o r i n j u r y t o
o t h e r s s h a l l be e v i d e n c e d by o v e r t a c t s , s u f f i c i e n t l y r e c e n t
i n t i m e a s t o b e m a t e r i a l and r e l e v a n t a s t o t h e r e s p o n -
d e n t ' s present condition."
The p i v o t a l q u e s t i o n , t h e n , w i t h r e s p e c t t o a p p e l l a n t ' s
f i r s t i s s u e , i s whether a p p e l l a n t ' s a c t i o n s amounted t o t h e
" o v e r t a c t " r e q u i r e d by s t a t u t e . Appellant argues t h a t h i s
a c t i o n s o v e r t h e p a s t twenty y e a r s have developed i n t o a
p a t t e r n ; h e r a v e s and t h r e a t e n s b u t h e h a s n o t f o l l o w e d up
h i s words w i t h a c t i o n . F e d e r a l c o u r t s have d i s c u s s e d t h i s
r e q u i r e m e n t o f a n o v e r t a c t i n some d e t a i l . I n Lessard v .
Schmidt (E.D. Wis. 1 9 7 2 ) , 349 F.Supp. 1078, 1093, v a c a t e d
- remanded
and - o t h e r grounds,
on ( 1 9 7 4 ) , 4 1 4 U.S. 473, 94
S.Ct. 713, 38 L Ed 2d 661, t h e C o u r t s t a t e d :
"A1though a t t e m p t s t o p r e d i c t f u t u r e c o n d u c t
a r e always d i f f i c u l t , and c o n f i n e m e n t based upon
s u c h a p r e d i c t i o n must always b e viewed w i t h
s u s p i c i o n , w e b e l i e v e c i v i l c o n f i n e m e n t can b e
j u s t i f i e d i n some c a s e s i f t h e p r o p e r burden of
p r o o f i s s a t i s f i e d and d a n g e r o u s n e s s i s based
upon a f i n d i n g of a r e c e n t o v e r t a c t , a t t e m p t
o r t h r e a t t o d o s u b s t a n t i a l harm t o o n e s e l f o r
another." (Emphasis added.)
I n a n o t h e r c a s e , Lynch v . Baxley ( D . Ala. 1 9 7 4 ) , 386 F.Supp.
378, 391, t h e c o u r t s t a t e d :
" A f i n d i n g of d a n g e r o u s n e s s i n d i c a t e s t h e l i k e -
l i h o o d t h a t t h e p e r s o n t o b e committed w i l l
i n f l i c t s e r i o u s harm on h i m s e l f o r on o t h e r s .
I n t h e case of d a n g e r o u s n e s s t o o t h e r s , t h i s
t h r e a t of harm comprehends t h e p o s i t i v e i n f l i c -
t i o n of i n j u r y -- o r d i n a r i l y p h y s i c a l i n j u r y ,
b u t possibly emotional i n j u r y a s well." (Em-
p h a s i s added. )
While n o t e v e r y t h r e a t c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d a n o v e r t a c t ,
t h e t e s t i m o n y and c i r c u m s t a n c e s of t h i s c a s e i n d i c a t e t h a t
a p p e l l a n t ' s t h r e a t s f u l f i l l e d t h e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t of
an o v e r t a c t . A threat t o k i l l is a verbal a c t t h a t f a l l s
w i t h i n t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f a n " o v e r t Act" a s s e t f o r t h i n t h e
statute.
Turning t o a p p e l l a n t ' s second i s s u e , s e c t i o n 38-
1 3 0 6 ( 1 ) ( c ) , R.C.M. 1947, now s e c t i o n 53-21-127(2) MCA,
s t a t e s t h a t , i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e t r e a t m e n t t o be p r o v i d e d t o
a s e r i o u s l y m e n t a l l y ill p e r s o n :
". . . t h e c o u r t s h a l l choose t h e l e a s t r e s t r i c -
t i v e a l t e r n a t i v e s necessary t o p r o t e c t t h e
r e s p o n d e n t a n d t h e p u b l i c and t o p e r m i t e f f e c -
t i v e t r e a t m e n t . The c o u r t s h a l l c o n s i d e r and
s h a l l d e s c r i b e i n i t s o r d e r what a l t e r n a t i v e s
f o r treatment of t h e respondent a r e a v a i l a b l e ,
what a l t e r n a t i v e s were i n v e s t i g a t e d , and why
t h e i n v e s t i g a t e d a l t e r n a t i v e s w e r e n o t deemed
suitable."
Along t h e s e l i n e s J u d g e Gulbrandson s t a t e d i n h i s f i n d i n g s
of f a c t :
"5. T h a t r e s p o n d e n t i s a f i t and p r o p e r p e r s o n
f o r commitment t o W a r m S p r i n g s S t a t e H o s p i t a l f o r
a p e r i o d o f t h r e e ( 3 ) months f o r t r e a t m e n t of h i s
p r e s e n t a c u t e s t a t e of h i s s e r i o u s m e n t a l i l l n e s s .
" 6 . T h a t i f , d u r i n g t h e commitment t o W a r m S p r i n g s
S t a t e Hospital, i t i s determined t h a t extended
t r e a t m e n t under d e t e n t i o n i s u n n e c e s s a r y and t h a t
a less r e s t r i c t i v e a l t e r n a t i v e i s w a r r a n t e d t h a t
w i l l c o n t i n u e t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e r e s p o n d e n t and
t h e p u b l i c t h e n , i n t h a t e v e n t , t h e same s h a l l b e
ordered.
" 7 . T h a t , i n t h e p a s t twenty ( 2 0 ) y e a r s , r e s p o n -
d e n t h a s been r e l e a s e d from W a r m S p r i n g s S t a t e
H o s p i t a l and t r a n s f e r r e d t o V e t e r a n s H o s p i t a l s a t
S h e r i d a n , Wyoming and a t American Lake, Washington.
T h a t t h e C o u r t deems t h i s a l t e r n a t i v e u n s u i t a b l e
f o r t h i s respondent f o r t h e reason t h a t it i s n o t
a s u f f i c i e n t l y s e c u r e environment t o p r o t e c t t h e
p u b l i c from t h i s r e s p o n d e n t ' s o u t r a g e s .
"8. T h a t t h e r e i s no m e n t a l h e a l t h f a c i l i t y , o t h e r
t h a n a s a t e l l i t e o f f i c e s t a f f e d by o n e p r o f e s s i o n a l
p e r s o n i n t h e c o u n t y of r e s p o n d e n t ' s r e s i d e n c e ,
to-wit: R o o s e v e l t County.
" 9 . T h a t t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l p e r s o n s who gave t e s t i -
mony i n t h i s m a t t e r i n d i c a t e t h a t t h i s r e s p o n d e n t
r e q u i r e s a n extended s t r u c t u r e d s e t t i n g .
"10. These s a m e p r o f e s s i o n a l p e r s o n s gave t e s t i -
mony t h a t t h e r e i s no o t h e r a l t e r n a t i v e a v a i l a b l e
t o t h i s r e s p o n d e n t t h a t w i l l p r o v i d e some s t r u c -
t u r e o r some c o n t r o l o v e r t h i s r e s p o n d e n t , i . e . :
W a r m S p r i n g s S t a t e H o s p i t a l o r a v e t e r a n s home.
"11. The o n l y a p p r o p r i a t e o r d e r f o r t r e a t m e n t
and e x t e n d e d c a r e of t h i s r e s p o n d e n t t h a t would
be s u i t a b l e t o h i s chronic s e r i o u s mental i l l n e s s
p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 38-1306 (1)( a ) ( i v ) , Revised
Codes o f Montana, i s t o c o n f i n e m e n t a t Warm S p r i n g s
S t a t e H o s p i t a l , u n t i l a s u i t a b l e less r e s t r i c t i v e
a l t e r n a t i v e i s made a v a i l a b l e t h a t w i l l p r o v i d e
r e s p o n d e n t some measure of freedom and a t t h e s a m e
t i m e a f f o r d p r o t e c t i o n of t h e p u b l i c . "
These f i n d i n g s a r e b a s e d , i n l a r g e measure, upon t h e
t e s t i m o n y o f two p s y c h o l o g i s t s and one p s y c h i a t r i s t . We
f i n d t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t Court adequately considered t h e
a v a i l a b l e f a c i l i t i e s a n d , f i n d i n g no a p p r o p r i a t e less re-
s t r i c t i v e f a c i l i t y , p r o p e r l y committed a p p e l l a n t t o t h e W a r m
Springs S t a t e Hospital.
Af f i r m e d .
W concur:
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