State AG’s office seeks to civilly commit sex offender

By Jessica Prokop / The Columbian

Over the next couple of weeks, prosecutors with the Attorney General’s Sexually Violent Predator Unit will be making their case for why a Ridgefield man, convicted of multiple sex offenses against children, should not be released back into the community.

The trial for Timothy McMahon, 56, began earlier this week in Clark County Superior Court, and is expected to continue for two weeks, according to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office.

McMahon has been convicted of multiple sex crimes dating to 1985. He had been scheduled for community release in February, after serving time on his 2004 convictions. But the Attorney General’s Office filed for his civil commitment before he would have been released. He’s since been awaiting trial at the Special Commitment Center.

Under the state’s Sexually Violent Predator law, the Attorney General’s Office can petition for the involuntary commitment of violent sex offenders who, because of mental illness or a personality disorder, are found to likely re-offend if they are released.

The Attorney General’s Office must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt in court. Assistant Attorneys General Mary Robnett and Rose McGillis are handling the case.

In 1990, Washington became the first state to pass a law permitting the involuntary civil commitment of sex offenders after they serve their criminal sentences. Shortly after, the Attorney General’s Office created its Sexually Violent Predator Unit, which prosecutes cases for all Washington counties, except King County.

As of July, 230 sexually violent predators were in the state’s Special Commitment Program, according to the news release.