Brumnett v. Psychiatric Security Review Board

Petitioner entered a hardware store, took a shotgun and ammunition, went to the top of the county courthouse, forcing a friend to go along with him, and there attempted to air grievances that, in his estimation, the community was not taking seriously enough. Petitioner was found guilty, but for mental disease or defect, of burglary in the first degree with a firearm and theft in the first degree. He was committed to the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) for 25 years.

Later, petitioner sought release from PSRB jurisdiction on the ground that he did not suffer from a…