People v. Belle CA1/5

I. BACKGROUND

As noted ante, Belle’s initial insanity commitment was repeatedly extended. In 2006, the trial court granted Belle’s request for conditional release into a supervised outpatient program for one year, and his outpatient status was renewed in March 2007. (§§ 1604, 1606.) In October 2007, the court revoked Belle’s outpatient status and ordered him returned to the state hospital. (§ 1608.) Belle was again conditionally released to outpatient care in 2008, and his outpatient status was renewed annually through 2014. In September 2014, CONREP informed the court that Belle had been readmitted to the state hospital and requested revocation of his outpatient status. (§§ 1608, 1610.) At a contested hearing, the People presented testimony that Belle was readmitted to Napa State Hospital following an incident with his landlady in which Belle’s behavior caused the woman to fear for her safety. Belle was characterized as “acutely and floridly psychotic.” Elizabeth Barber, a forensic mental health specialist with CONREP, testified that prior to hospitalization, Belle was noncompliant with CONREP rules, including a curfew. Belle told Barber that he did not want outpatient…