Release Fight Over Man Who Hid Woman
- A judge is considering releasing a man convicted of keeping a woman locked inside a box for years. - He is designated a sexually violent predator seeking conditional release, prompting prosecutors to fight the decision. - Victims' advocates and prosecutors warn release could threaten public safety and are appealing the move (patch.com).
A California judge ruled last week that David Parker Ray, convicted of raping and imprisoning a woman in a soundproof box for years, can pursue conditional release after 25 years in custody. Prosecutors immediately appealed, calling the decision a public safety risk. (patch.com) Ray, 85, holds "sexually violent predator" status under California's SVPA, a civil commitment law for offenders deemed likely to reoffend sexually after prison. He has been held at Coalinga State Hospital since 2001, seeking supervised outpatient placement in Napa County. (patch.com) In 1996, Ray kidnapped a 22-year-old woman in San Francisco, drove her to his Napa home, and locked her in a custom-built wooden box measuring 4 feet by 2 feet by 3 feet, fitted with soundproofing
