Opinion
09-29-2015
In re the STATE of New York, Petitioner–Respondent, v. KENNETH W., Respondent–Appellant.
Marvin Bernstein, Mental Hygiene Legal Service, New York (Margo Flug of counsel), for appellant. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York (Valerie Figueredo of counsel), for respondent.
Marvin Bernstein, Mental Hygiene Legal Service, New York (Margo Flug of counsel), for appellant.
Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York (Valerie Figueredo of counsel), for respondent.
Opinion Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Daniel McCullough, J.), entered on or about January 28, 2014, which, upon a jury verdict that respondent suffers from a mental abnormality, determined, after a dispositional hearing, that he is a dangerous sex offender requiring confinement in a secure treatment facility, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, and the petition dismissed.
The verdict that respondent suffers from a mental abnormality is based on legally insufficient evidence. Evidence of an independent mental abnormality diagnosis is required to establish a mental abnormality within the meaning of Mental Hygiene Law article 10 (see Matter of State of New York v. Donald DD., 24 N.Y.3d 174, 190–191, 996 N.Y.S.2d 610, 21 N.E.3d 239 [2014] ). Here, we find that based on the trial evidence, a rational factfinder could not conclude that sexual preoccupation is an independent mental abnormality. The State failed to present evidence that sexual preoccupation is a condition that predisposes one to commit a sex offense and results in serious difficulty in controlling the sexually offending conduct (see Matter of State of New York v Gen C., 128 A.D.3d 467, 9 N.Y.S.3d 48 [1st Dept.2015] ; Mental Hygiene Law § 10.03[i] ).
GONZALEZ, P.J., SWEENY, RENWICK, SAXE, FEINMAN, JJ., concur.