O'NEAL v. State

Pope, Judge.

Appellant was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the offenses of murder and aggravated assault and was ordered committed to a state hospital for the mentally ill. Appellant subsequently filed several petitions for release pursuant to OCGA § 17-7-131 (f), contending that he no longer met the civil commitment criteria contained in OCGA § 37-3-1 et seq. On each occasion the committing court denied appellant’s petitions for release based on a finding that appellant presented a substantial risk of harm to himself or others.

Appellant subsequently sought the court’s written…