P. v. Thammavong
In October 2006, the People filed an amended petition pursuant to the Sexually Violent Predators Act (SVPA) (Welf. & Inst. Code,[1] 6600 et seq.) to commit Somsak Thammavong to the Department of Mental Health (the Department) for an indeterminate term of involuntary treatment. In April 2007, after a trial, a jury found Thammavong to be a sexually violent predator (SVP). Thereafter, the trial court committed Thammavong to the Department for an indeterminate term.
On appeal, Thammavong claims that the trial court erred in allowing the People to present three expert witnesses at trial while at the same time denying his request for appointment of an additional mental health expert. In addition, Thammavong claims that the trial court erred in failing to limit the testimony of the People's expert witnesses at trial. Thammavong also claims that the SVPA, as amended by Proposition 83, violates the constitutional prohibition against ex post facto laws, and that his commitment was not authorized pursuant to the amended SVPA. Finally, Thammavong claims that to the extent this court determines that he has forfeited any of his appellate claims for failure to raise an adequate objection in the trial court, this court should find that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance. Court affirm the judgment.
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