Supreme Court Rules Convicted Sex Offender Entitled To Trial

The State Supreme Court has ruled in the case of a convicted sex offender who has been in the custody of the State Mental Health Department since June of 2000. Wilbur Schottel’s public defender, Emmett Queener, says his client had initially stipulated he was a sexually violent predator – but now wants a trial to be released from that stipulation. The Supreme Court agrees that Schottel should have a trial to determine whether he is still a sexually violent predator. Today’s ruling won’t be official for about another two weeks. Should the ruling stand, Schottel will remain in custody at the Sexual Offender Treatment Center in Farmington pending the outcome of his trial.