How did the commitment process work with Cho?
First, a pre-screener from New River Valley CSB was called in. That person found that he posed a threat to himself. She then requested that the magistrate issue a TDO [temporary detention order], then he was transported to the hospital. Next, at Saint Albans, he was evaluated by the independent evaluator in preparation for the commitment hearing. The independent evaluator found that he was not a threat. He was also screened by the treating psychiatrist, who also found that he was not a threat. But both of those reports were very minimal: They didn’t talk to his roommates or suitemates or gather information from any other collateral source including prior counseling records. At the commitment hearing, the special justice had the three reports to review, but no hospital data or prior history due to the short time allowed by law to prepare for the hearing. Cho did not speak much during the hearing. Cho’s lack of response, combined with the report from the pre-screener, caused Barnett to f
