Victims’ advocate appeals dismissal of petition to keep Chapman locked up
The attorney for one of Wayne W. Chapman’s victims is appealing to the full state Supreme Judicial Court after one of its judges tossed out her petition to keep the convicted serial child rapist locked up.
In papers delivered to the state’s highest court yesterday, Wendy Murphy argues that new sexual misconduct charges against Chapman, 70, prove that he remains a danger, contrary to what two psychologists, or “qualified examiners,” concluded.
“If this is what we get when public money is spent on qualified examiners, I want a refund,” said Murphy, who added she has received calls from other Chapman victims who have been re-traumatized by the prospect of his release.
Murphy is asking the court to clarify its 2009 decision allowing two psychologists to determine whether someone like Chapman — who completed his sentence for child rape and other offenses in 2004 but has remained civilly committed as a sexually dangerous person — should be released.
“The SJC in (2009) ... said the qualified examiners are to be appointed by `the court,’” she wrote in an email. “But the examiners in Chapman’s case, and many similar cases, were appointed by their own forprofit company, a company that merely has a contract with the DOC (Department of Correction).”
Chapman is being held without bail pending a June 27 hearing since he was accused of indecent exposure and committing lewd acts on Sunday and Monday in the medical ward at the state prison in Shirley.
His lawyer, Eric Tennen, did not return a call yesterday but has argued that he is too old and infirm to pose a threat to anyone.