Tacoma City Council candidate Robert Jesse Hill is a risk to public safety and should be evaluated by a mental-health professional before being released from jail, a state psychologist concludes in a report made public Thursday.
“Based on Mr. Hill’s documented criminal history, information obtained during interviews and treatment, and a review of risk factors, it is my professional opinion that he presents with significantly increased risk for future dangerous behavior and for committing future criminal acts jeopardizing public safety and security due to personality disorder, history of mental illness and past illicit behaviors,” Melissa Dannelet of Western State Hospital wrote in a report filed Tuesday.
Dannelet compiled the report after a Pierce County Superior Court judge ordered Western State to evaluate Hill’s competency to stand trial on a felony charge of intimidating a judge.
In a jailhouse interview Thursday, Hill, who was being held on six charges total, denied being dangerous and said he’s not mentally ill.
“It’s outrageous,” he said. “It’s legal slander.”
Hill, 41, said he made a smart-aleck comment to a Superior Court commissioner at his arraignment on the intimidating a judge charge and later found out he was to be evaluated for his mental competency.
Pierce County prosecutors charged Hill after he allegedly made threatening comments about a Tacoma Municipal Court commissioner who’d recently increased his bail in an unrelated misdemeanor case.
Hill has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney, Robert Quillian, said in court Wednesday that he thinks the case against his client is weak.
Dannelet wrote in her report that the candidate for the District 3 seat on the council understands the felony charge against him and would be able to assist his attorney in his defense. Hill is challenging incumbent Lauren Walker.
“Any misbehavior that he displays or disruption that he may pose in the courtroom at this point would appear to be attributable to his personality functioning rather than a mood or psychotic disorder,” the report states.
Judge Edmund Murphy relied on the report Wednesday when he ruled Hill competent to stand trial. He ordered Hill jailed in lieu of $25,000 on that charge.
Hill on Thursday afternoon had bails totaling another $65,000 on his other cases, which include misdemeanor assault and harassment. He said he was trying to arrange bail.
Dannelet also was asked to evaluate whether Hill “presents a substantial danger to others” as part of her report to the court.
She cited Hill’s “lack of insight, unresponsiveness to treatment” and “noncompliance with remediation attempts” as factors in her decision to classify him as dangerous.
Those factors could be eliminated through treatment, Dannelet added.
Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644
adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
Twitter: @TNTadam
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