People v. Steele CA3

Filed 8/26/14 P. v. Steele CA3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT (Calaveras) ----

THE PEOPLE, C074936

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. F3060)

v.

REBEKAH SUE STEELE,

Defendant and Appellant.

A trial court found defendant Rebekah Sue Steele legally insane and committed her to a psychiatric hospital. Thereafter, the People petitioned to extend defendant’s commitment by two years and the trial court granted that petition. Defendant appeals, arguing the People presented insufficient evidence to support the commitment extension. We disagree and affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND In December 2003, defendant assaulted two people and their cat with a knife while the victims were in their home. During the assault, defendant was heard making

1

statements about spirits and threats to her own life and the lives of her children. Defendant pled not guilty by reason of insanity to all charges and the trial court found defendant legally insane at the time of the offenses. Defendant was committed to Napa State Hospital in September 2004. In March 2013, defendant applied to be released from her commitment and in April 2013 the People petitioned to extend her commitment an additional two years. A court trial on the People’s petition followed. The People offered two expert witnesses in support of their petition. I First Expert Witness Dr. Leif Skille, a staff psychiatrist at Napa State Hospital treated defendant between November 2012 and January 2013. Dr. Skille testified he was the attending psychiatrist on the discharge unit and when defendant was in his unit, her primary diagnosis was schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, with an additional diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder. Dr. Skille also testified that his unit works with a forensic office that reviews a patient’s history and looks for risk factors for future potential dangerousness. He went on to testify that one risk factor for future potential dangerousness is noncompliance with taking medications. Additionally, Dr. Skille testified that after a month and one-half of working with defendant, defendant started to have psychotic decompensation and started to believe the treatment team was trying to kill her and thought her children were in danger. He further testified that when people with delusions believe they are going to be killed, many times they will defend themselves. Dr. Skille stated that defendant was transferred from the discharge unit because of safety concerns after spending two months in his unit.