Several Santa Clarita representatives issued statements Wednesday in response to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge approving the relocation of a violent sexual predator to Littlerock in the Antelope Valley.
66-year-old Calvin Grassmier was sentenced in 1989 to a 15-year state prison term for sexual assaults in the 1970s and 1980s, the last of which occurred in 1988 and none which involved minors. He was subsequently committed to the Department of State Hospitals as a “sexually violent predator” in 1999 and held in a secure hospital for treatment, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
In 2020, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ordered the conditional release of Grassmier. After treatment in a confined hospital, it was determined that he is now at a level where he can be treated in the community under supervision, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
“I am appalled and disgusted that this judge ignored the pleas of thousands of families who plainly said ‘no’ to the placement of this sexually violent predator (SVP) in their community,” said Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita.
More than 1,000 letters and more than 3,600 signatures from a Change.org petition – which represents about one-third of the population of Littlerock and its surrounding communities – were submitted in protest of the placement of Grassmier in Littlerock, according to Wilk’s office
After release, Grassmier is set to be under surveillance 24 hours a day and will be required to wear a GPS ankle monitor. The surveillance may be reduced eventually for good behavior, according to the California Department of State Hospitals.
“Rural communities have become California’s dumping ground for the worst offenders, and today’s decision is no exception,” Wilk said. “If the judge believes Calvin Grassmier needs 24/7 security/surveillance to keep the community safe, maybe a better decision all around would have been to keep him locked up.”
While the Littlerock address falls within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, neither the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department nor the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office are responsible for the selection of the site, according to a statement from the LADA’s office.
Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, and L.A. County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley, also objected to the ruling.
“I am deeply disappointed by today’s court decision,” Barger said in a statement. “Placing Mr. Grassmier in Littlerock further traumatizes this already marginalized community. The residents have been historically disenfranchised and Mr. Grassmier’s placement reinforces the belief that residents’ voices and safety are not taken into consideration. This placement, which is located within two miles of four schools, will make families feel unsafe and unsettled in their own homes and neighborhoods.”
In 2018, Senator Wilk successfully passed Senate Bill 1199, which increased protections for rural communities, and required the courts to pursue possible placement of the SVP in their last city of residence, according to his office.
For additional information on Grassmier and other sexual predators in California, visit the Megan’s Law website.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment