Commonwealth v. DeWeldon

Massachusetts law permits the Commonwealth to file a petition for civil commitment of an individual as a sexually dangerous person (SDP) only if that individual is a lawful prisoner at the time of the presentation of the petition to the Superior Court. G. L. c. 123A, § 12(b).1 Coffin v. Superinten*627dent, Mass. Treatment Center, 458 Mass. 186, 188-189 (2010). “SDP commitment is only available if the procedure is initiated before the termination of a period of criminal confinement; if it is not, the statute no longer applies.” Commonwealth v. Gillis, 448 Mass. 354, 359 (2007). However, “[t]he…