A Superior Court judge in Placer County is slated to decide on the potential conditional release of a man designated as a Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) on July 22. Gregory Ding, who completed his prison sentence in 2016, has since been confined to a state hospital for ongoing treatment, the Placer County District Attorney's Office announced on their facebook page.
Convicted in 2010 of multiple counts, including a lewd act on a child under 14 and an attempted lewd act on a child under 14, in addition to indecent exposure, Ding was initially sentenced to a six-year term, the Placer County District Attorney's Office shared details of his past charges and sentencing. After serving his criminal sentence fully he was moved to the Department of State Hospitals following the duration, based on laws mandating the treatment and eventual reintegration of such offenders.
According to reports from the Department of State Hospitals, a psychologist has found that Ding fulfills the legal criteria for rehabilitation and has put forward a recommendation for his conditional release. The next step involves a Superior Court judge from the county where Ding was committed, who will weigh in considerations of public safety against the SVP's constitutional rights before making a decision on his release, as reported by the Placer County District Attorney's Office.
The hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. at the Placer County Superior Court in Auburn, Department 4, where a prosecutor will argue against Ding’s release due to community safety concerns. The judge must weigh those concerns against the legal system’s focus on rehabilitation, as per the Placer County District Attorney's Office.
