Judge, attys discuss placement

Attorneys met Jan. 10 with a judge to discuss the upcom­ing placement hearing on Feb. 3 for another sexually vio­lent predator in Jacumba Hot Springs.

The judge who is assigned to hear the placement of Michael James Poulsom, 60, is currently out on medical leave following surgery, said San Diego Supe­rior Court Judge Eugenia Eyhe­rabide.

Eyherabide told attorneys she wanted to talk to Judge Jay Bloom to see if he will be able to appear Feb. 3. If he cannot do it, then it is possible another judge would be assigned, as the notic­es for the hearing have already been published.

Attorneys said Bloom has driven past the house on Old Highway 80 where Liberty Healthcare has recommended Poulsom would be housed.

Eyherabide told attorneys to return on Jan. 21 for a status conference to let them know if Bloom can return and conduct the hearing.

Deputy District Attorney Ni­cole Roth said she had concerns that the land where Poulsom would live already has another SVP living there. The DA’s of­fice has previously opposed his release.

Poulsom was convicted in Georgia of two counts of child molestation in 1985. After his sentence, he moved to San Di­ego, and was convicted of one molestation in 1989, according to the DA’s office.

Poulsom was convicted in 1995 of molesting another child and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. After that term finished, the DA’s office filed a petition to keep him locked up as a SVP, and a jury in 2011 found he was a SVP.

Poulsom was committed to Coalinga State Hospital where he remains. He filed a petition for release in Jan., 2018, but the hospital didn’t support his re­lease initially. They later proposed placement into the condi­tional release program on Dec. 24, 2019.

If released, Poulsom would be accompanied by a security guard whenever he leaves the house. He would have to wear a GPS tracking device.

The public is invited to speak and attend the placement hear­ing. Residents can send letters about the placement to the SAFE Task Force at 9425 Ches­apeake Drive, San Diego, Ca. 92123. Letters will be forwarded to the judge.