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Terry Foucha was a patient at East Feliciana State Hospital (La Maximum Secure) - His
chart used "dangerousness" alone to justify stay; Court said this was not
enough, needed documentation of Mental illness as well. Dozens of patient released, most
are back in system now; was a procedure problem, but it is important to remember that NGI
patients must be both ill and dangerous to continue committment.
Recently, in LA v. Perez, [94-K-0130, Jan 27, 1995] the LA Supreme Court tightened up the
extent to which a District Judge has discretion in the release of an insanity acquittee.
Basically, they said that if a person is now stablized and is not resonably expected to be
dangerous, he/she MUST be released.