Riffey
People v. Riffey
Opinion
Opinion
Committed to the State Department of Mental Health (the department) for an indeterminate term as a sexually violent predator (SVP), defendant Robert James Riffey appeals. He contends the recent amendments to the Sexually Violent Predator Act (SVPA; Welf. & Inst. Code, § 6600 et seq.) [1] that provide for indeterminate commitments should not have been applied to him retroactively and are unconstitutional. We conclude the amended SVPA was not applied to defendant retroactively and his constitutional challenges are without merit. Accordingly, we will affirm the judgment.
In August 2002, the Placer County District Attorney filed a petition to commit defendant to the department for two years as an SVP. In December 2002, defendant waived a probable cause hearing and the court bound him over for trial. Over the next four years, the matter was continued numerous times.
"On September 20, 2006, the Governor signed the Sex Offender Punishment, Control, and Containment Act of 2006, Senate Bill No. 1128 (2005-2006 Reg. Sess.) (Senate Bill 1128). (Stats. 2006, ch. 337.) Senate Bill 1128 was urgency legislation that went into effect immediately. (Stats. 2006, ch. 337, § 62.) Among…