Santa Barbara DA says sexual predator should live in SLO
January 21, 2013
A sexual predator twice convicted of rape could become San Luis Obispo’s newest transient if the Santa Barbara District Attorney completes a “Hail Mary.” [Noozhawk]
The California Third District Court of Appeal will hear arguments Wednesday on the proper parole destination for Tibor Karsai. District Attorney Joyce Dudley is not optimistic that she will succeed in preventing Karsai’s release to Santa Barbara County, but she argues that the sexual predator belongs in San Luis Obispo.
“This is a Hail Mary if ever there was one,” Dudley said.
If Santa Barbara prosecutors do succeed, it would not mark the first time the state paroled Karsai, 59, to San Luis Obispo. A Santa Barbara jury convicted Karsai of rape in 1974. Three years later, he left prison on parole for San Luis Obispo.
In 1980, Karsai returned to prison on a 26-year sentence after raping a 16-year-old girl in Placer County. As his sentence drew to a close, the state designated him a sexually violent predator and transferred him to a mental hospital.
Karsai has been set for release for a year now. Liberty Healthcare Group offered Karsai residence in Santa Maria, but prosecutors blocked the parole destination because the home was within 2,000 feet of a school.
A Placer County judge then ruled that Karsai be released in Santa Barbara County as a transient, but the Court of Appeal overturned the order. But, the Supreme Court reversed the appellate court’s decision and ordered the Court of Appeal to hear Placer County’s argument as to why Karsai should return to Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara County prosecutors argue Karsai belongs in San Luis Obispo because he resided there prior to sentencing.
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