Why did state psychiatric officials nearly release accused murderer near school, senator asks
A state Senate panel grilled officials Tuesday over why Western State Hospital nearly released an accused murderer into a Lakewood group home in September.
The proposed release of Lawrence David Butterfield caused a stir among Lakewood and Pierce County leaders, who contended he was too dangerous to leave the state psychiatric hospital. Western State officials reversed course after his housing plans fell through.
Sen. Steve O’Ban, a Tacoma Republican and chairman of the Senate’s Human Services, Mental Health and Housing Committee, called Tuesday’s hearing to find out how Western State officials determine when and where they release potentially violent patients. O’Ban currently is working on legislation to reform how violent offenders are released.
“It gives me no comfort that (state officials) recanted on Butterfield,” O’Ban told The News Tribune and The Olympian in a Monday interview. “They clearly were preparing to place him in this residential area, but for the highly expected uproar that occurred. That should not be the basis for changing the decision.”
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