People v. Snow CA1/2

BACKGROUND

In 2008, the People filed a petition to commit Snow for an indeterminate term as an SVP pursuant to the SVPA, and the trial court found there to be probable cause that Snow met the criteria for commitment. Over the next 14 years, the matter was continued multiple times for a variety of reasons, including substitution of counsel, additional expert evaluations, motion practice, and developing case law. Snow waived his right to a jury trial, and a court trial was ultimately held in 2022, after which the court found Snow met the SVP criteria and committed him to an indeterminate term at the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH).

I. The Prosecution’s Case

A. Evidence of Snow’s Predatory Acts in the Commission of Prior Offenses At the April 2022 SVP court trial, the People presented testimonial and documentary2 evidence of Snow’s commission of two predicate offenses and two additional sexual offenses against children to prove Snow “has been convicted of a sexually violent offense against one or more victims,” and to show “[t]he details underlying the commission of [those] offense[s] . . . , including a predatory relationship with the victim[s]” as required by…