A forensic psychology expert took the stand Monday in the second day of a hearing that will determine whether a twice-convicted child molester should be declared a Sexually Violent Predator under California law.
To prevail in the matter, Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Allan Dollison needs to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Jerome Franz Gonzales, 61, committed two sexually violent offenses, that he suffers from a diagnosed mental illness and that the illness is such that he would likely re-offend if released.
Should the jury of nine women and three men find that Gonzales meets the three criteria, he could receive an indefinite sentence, also called an involuntary civil commitment, in a locked psychiatric facility under the administration of the California Department of Corrections.
Dr. Harry Goldberg, a Sherman Oaks-based psychologist who serves on the state’s SVP panel, read a list of dozens of documents and case files he had examined to form his opinion that Gonzales should be committed.
He did not, however, speak directly with Gonzales, who has declined to speak with evaluators.
But Goldberg told Dollision he was still able to put together a “clinical picture” of Gonzales without an interview, and went on to describe a life marked since childhood by criminality and molestation — with Gonzales initially the victim and then, over time, the perpetrator.
Goldberg discussed Gonzales’ psychosocial, sexual, relational, criminal, medical and psychiatric histories, and concluded that Gonzales admits to having problems he refuses to address.
“What’s interesting about Mr. Gonzales is he’s pretty up-front about his pedophilia,” Goldberg said. “He admits to having the problem, but doesn’t want to participate in the program.”
According to Goldberg’s statistical estimate, Gonzales has a 57 percent chance of re-offending within six years, if released from custody.
But that figure is not without controversy.
Public Defender Kevin Robinson questioned the use of actuarial tables to predict human behavior, noting that one study found projections about re-offense rates to be “greatly inflated.”
But Goldberg called the measures used “just as good as any other actuarial tool,” a statement which met with ironic agreement from Robinson.
The hearing will continue this morning at 8:45 a.m. in courtroom two at the Humboldt County Courthouse. ER Testimony continues in SVP hearing 10/14/07
ER Convicted molester could receive indefinite sentence 10/13/07
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ADDED: Allan Dollison served Humboldt County's DA's office for 6 years and 4 months. He details his record, and his reasons for leaving here - ◼ My record at the DA's Office - Allan Dollison/for the Times-Standard
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NOTATION: 7/13/2013 - It's an interesting aspect of this blog that other people often get caught in the net, based on their entrance into the Gallegos saga. And so their names live online, to be unearthed whenever they apply for a job. Sometimes the searches that lead people here are for other reasons, but it usually has to do with a job search.
And, so it is that Allan Dollison appears here. His time with the DA's office has come and gone, he rose through Gallegos' ranks, and was slated, some said, to become Assistant DA. He was a loyal player, and, I believe, a true believer.
Through my work here, I am often kept informed about cases, how they're handled, how the various Deputy DA's do their job, interact with victims, and so forth.
And I feel it necessary to say this. I have come to the conclusion, that, for all his past mistake, Allan Dollison turned out to be one of the best and most honest of the bunch, far surpassing his boss, Paul Gallegos.
He has since left the DA's office, and, as is often the case when people leave, I get the chance to talk to them. I have talked with Allan Dollison. And, to his credit, he never once asked me to remove any of this info, as damaging as it is to him. I respect that, and I think it's noteworthy.
If you're looking to hire him, it's worthy of consideration.
I'm not pulling anything down, as that would be a disservice to the facts as they have unfolded, but I am adding this, to mitigate that online-lives-forever reality.
