State v. M.A.

Summarized by:

  • Court: Oregon Court of Appeals
  • Area(s) of Law: Criminal Law
  • Date Filed: 03-02-2016
  • Case #: A156435
  • Judge(s)/Court Below: Duncan, P.J. for the Court; Lagesen, J.; & Wilson, S.J.

Civil commitments require a showing that a person is dangerous to himself or others.

Defendant, a Saudi Arabian national, was not allowed to board a plane after causing a scene due to a female flight attendant approaching him with palms facing him, which is a disrespectful action in his culture. There was another incident in a bank where this man displayed strange behavior enough for the bank teller to call the police. When arrested, an FBI agent trained in Arab cultures concluded that this man was at the beginning stages of a mental illness. The trial court had him committed to Oregon Health Authority. The Court reversed due to lack of sufficient evidence to make a showing that this man was a danger to himself or others and that he would not be able to meet his basic needs. Reversed.

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