CA - Violent Predator Matthew Hedge Released, San Diego

[Melanie]

Although he will live near the prison, he is now free to come and go except between 9PM and 6AM.

SAN DIEGO -- Convicted sex offender Matthew Hedge is spending his first night away from Coalinga State Hospital in his new home just outside of Donovan State Prison.

With Hedge's arrival on Friday came a brand new community notification from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and a new address -- 480 Alta Road -- in a trailer on the Donovan prison grounds.

For more on his conditional release please see PDF:

http://10newsblogs.com/pdf/hedgereleaseform042409.pdf

For our San Diego readers, Hedge was convicted in 1989 of 647a PC Annoying or Molesting a child, 288(a) PC Lewd Acts with a child under 14 yrs, and 314.1 PC Indecent Exposure. Hedge’s victims were both female and male juveniles ranging in age from 6-13 years of age. Hedge was evaluated at Coalinga State Hospital as a mentally disordered sex offender. As a result of the sexually based crimes, Hedge was sentenced to several years in custody. Upon completion of his prison sentence, he was civilly committed to Coalinga State Hospital as a Sexually Violent Predator (SVP). Hedge petitioned the courts and was judicially granted a Conditional Release into the community with the Department of Mental Health supervising his integration into the community.

On 4-24-09 at about 1910 hours, Liberty Health Care advised the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Matthew Hedge had arrived in San Diego County and was placed at this address:

480 Alta Road,
San Diego, CA. 92179

PLEASE NOTE: He was released in 2005 but violated the conditions of his parole just three months later. SAN YSIDRO HIGH SCHOOL IS A MERE 6 MILES AWAY.

Please, let's work together to keep our children safe. I've been following Hedge, and he is a very violent predator. Why they released this criminal, I'll never know....

Peace,

 

[Bobbisangel]

They do some of the stupidist things. A level 3 sex offender is the worst and is sure to violate again so why let them out! Why does another person have to be hurt or murdered before they can lock this guy up for good...hopfully it would be for good!

 

[Boyz_Mum]

They do some of the stupidist things. A level 3 sex offender is the worst and is sure to violate again so why let them out! Why does another person have to be hurt or murdered before they can lock this guy up for good...hopfully it would be for good!

This situation reminds me of the situation with Kenneth Parnell, the pedophile who kidnapped Steven Stainer. He was parolled and wound up trying to "buy" another child. I don't understand why anyone thinks these people can change.

 

[EmMomma]

Pedophiles can not be REHABILITATED or CURED, period.
How many innocent children will be scarred and killed before this nonsense STOPS?! :furious:

 

[Columbo]

I don't understand why the law on this doesn't change, when it is common knowledge (almost) that these offenders cannot be rehabilitated.

 

[Melanie]

I don't understand why the law on this doesn't change, when it is common knowledge (almost) that these offenders cannot be rehabilitated.

I agree with all of you - a sexual predator cannot be rehabed. We've given this monster a 3rd chance. Once in 2005; again in 2006; and now in 2009. Are we ever going to learn? I guess he has to kill someone first

Hedge, 43, a convicted child molester, spent two months outside before he was sent back to the hospital for further treatment. Authorities said he didn't commit any crimes during that time, but his behavior – such as speaking to two teenage girls at a treatment center – caused concern.

Critics say that if Hedge couldn't last more than a couple of months on the outside, it shows that a program that would allow his release is fundamentally flawed.

“They really are like beasts,” said Assemblyman Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, whose district includes Otay Mesa. “They're hard-wired to do these things.”

What a flawed system we have.....

 

[Knox]

I agree with all of you - a sexual predator cannot be rehabed. We've given this monster a 3rd chance. Once in 2005; again in 2006; and now in 2009. Are we ever going to learn? I guess he has to kill someone first

Hedge, 43, a convicted child molester, spent two months outside before he was sent back to the hospital for further treatment. Authorities said he didn't commit any crimes during that time, but his behavior – such as speaking to two teenage girls at a treatment center – caused concern.

Critics say that if Hedge couldn't last more than a couple of months on the outside, it shows that a program that would allow his release is fundamentally flawed.

“They really are like beasts,” said Assemblyman Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, whose district includes Otay Mesa. “They're hard-wired to do these things.”

What a flawed system we have.....

Any updates on this guy Mgardner, is he still living on Donovan grounds? I read his parole stips ... does anyone know what the parolee to parole officer ratio's in Cali are?

A local case in my area years ago ... Rex Krebs was on parole, but managed to kill two girls.

 

[Rayemonde]

October 2012:

A man once classified by the state as a sexually violent predator is no longer required to live in a trailer outside an Otay Mesa prison now that a judge has determined he does not pose a danger to others...

Citing two psychological evaluations, the judge determined Hedge no longer fit the predator criteria and was unlikely to engage in violent, sexual criminal behavior.

A GPS monitor that had been affixed to his ankle was removed in the courtroom, according to court documents, and Hedge was free to go. However, he is still required under California law to register as a sex offender every 90 days.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2012/oct/02/sex-predator-released-supervision/

 

[Rayemonde]

October 2012:

A former sexually violent predator is now living in downtown San Diego, the San Diego Police Department announced Friday.

Last week, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said Matthew Hedge registered as a transient in the areas of Spring Valley and Lemon Grove.

However, SDPD officials confirmed Friday that Hedge reported to the department's Sex Offender Unit on Oct. 8 and told them he was living at the Peachtree Inn.

Late last month, a court lifted Hedge's sexually violent predator (SVP) designation and was allowed to live anywhere he wished.

http://www.10news.com/news/former-s...or-matthew-hedge-living-in-downtown-san-diego

 

[Rayemonde]

Background:

under a controversial civil commitment law, Hedge was judged to be mentally ill -- a "sexually violent predator" -- and committed against his will to the state mental hospital, theoretically indefinitely.

The Atascadero mental hospital has gates, guards and all the other trappings of a prison. But it isn't technically about punishment. It's about therapy. The goal is to teach the men to control their sexual craving for children so they can eventually be released back into society -- a decision that, in large part, is up to senior psychologist Jesus Padilla and his staff.

"This disorder is not something that can be cured," Padilla said."It's seen as a lifelong disorder, much like diabetes, and treatment helps to teach these individuals how to treat their disorder and stay on top of for the rest of their lives."

The treatment -- mostly talk therapy -- takes an average of six years to complete...

At the time of his release, Hedge was only the fourth patient in the 10 years since the law was passed to complete the program. Those who graduated before him faced huge public protest, fear and threats. One was forced to move four times in 10 months. Hedge knew he could expect more of the same, but he was convinced he was ready...

To help prepare him for release, Hedge role-played situations with other patients in therapy, such as how to introduce himself to potentially hostile neighbors and how to deal with the rejection he was certain to face...

Hedge, though, said the harsher society becomes, the more molesters are likely to become violent...

"It's up to me to think or act or do what I want to do," he said."I have just spent so much time not focusing on children, not focusing on sex. ... I mean, you just change your thinking patterns and you don't automatically go there anymore."

Hedge said that if he came into contact with children, at a mall or store, for example, he would just avoid them.

Much more at link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1522571