CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Ryan Cox case delay

| Crime | West Seattle news

(August 8th WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)

Three months after a judge ordered him to Western State Hospital, Gatewood stabbing defendant Ryan Cox is still waiting for a spot there to open up. As we reported in January, a judge ordered Cox to the state hospital for up to 90 days of treatment to attempt to restore competency to stand trial. He is charged with second-degree assault in an incident that left a man seriously injured last August. A status hearing for Cox was scheduled for this week; a court document filed yesterday says the hearing is postponed until July 16th. We checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to find out why, and they tell us he is “still waiting for admission,” which is currently expected to happen around April 30th. The up-to-90-days treatment clock won’t start until he is admitted. WSH has long been reported to have backlogs leaving patients waiting,

Flimflam April 10, 2018 (7:21 pm)

I hope he is admitted and held for the duration, but can’t really imagine that 90 days will cure him magically. He seems unable/unfit for a life in society unfortunately.

WSB April 10, 2018 (7:57 pm)

To be clear, 90 days is not expected to be a “cure” – but so that he could be competent to stand trial. As noted in one of our past stories, he has been through this process before in a case that led to his only felony conviction to date.
- Native April 11, 2018 (9:35 am)
  
  Thanks again for keeping us posted on these serious West Seattle criminals.
  
  Nicholas Watson is still sitting along with Sara Hanson’s attacker I assume.
  
  Due process is a long and laborious and expensive process.
  
  thanks again WSB you’re great!

West Seattle Hipster April 10, 2018 (7:49 pm)

He has demonstrated sociopathic and psychotic behavior repeatedly and should be institutionalized for the balance of his life.

heartless April 10, 2018 (8:07 pm)

I’m sure the judge and jury will take your comments into account.

Out of morbid curiosity, what is the difference between sociopathic (sic) and psychotic behavior?

And, further, if the above mentioned are diseases then why are treatments not possible?

But kudos for taking a stance!
- West Seattle Hipsters April 11, 2018 (4:28 am)
  
  You clearly are a new WSB reader or have not read any of the numerous stories about Cox’s behavior. Search “Ryan Cox” on the WSB and then ask yourself if someone who has demonstrated an escalating pattern of violence should be in free society.
  - heartless April 11, 2018 (8:33 am)
    
    I’m aware of what’s been in the newspapers. But I tend to frown on relatively uninformed rhetorically charged statements.
    - West Seattle Hipster April 11, 2018 (11:51 am)
      
      It’s easy to let emotion get in the way of rational thinking instead of researching facts. Cox has an extensive history of terrorizing the WS community and homophobic behavior. Treatment has not been successful thus far, perhaps in the future it will. I would rather not see Cox brutally stab another member of our community. My hope is he gets treatment in an institution be it prison or a secured mental health facility.
      
      Cox should not be on the streets.
    - heartless April 11, 2018 (1:25 pm)
      
      WSH,
      
      Yes, that is my hope too, that some form of treatment can prove successful.

Quora April 10, 2018 (8:22 pm)

Sex offenders are required to register so people are aware of their presence in a neighborhood.

What about those that almost stab people to death? Will people like Cox be required to “register” when they come back? I for one would like to be made aware.

heartless April 11, 2018 (8:41 am)

Not all sex offenders are required to register.

When it comes to people who have committed other crimes I am not aware of any registry (aside from certain conditions of parole).

Bellvy April 10, 2018 (10:12 pm)

What’s wrong with our system that there is no psychiatric help FOR 3 MONTHS UNTIL A SPOT OPENS UP?!??!?!

MJ April 10, 2018 (10:44 pm)

The system is simply broken, a person who stabs someone does not deserve to be free period. This is for safety of innocents.

How is the person doing who was seriously injured? I for one hope he is recovering and is not held financially responsible for the medical bills. Ryan Cox is responsible and needs to be held accountable and pay the bills.

andy April 11, 2018 (8:15 am)

People like Ryan Cox, loose in our midst, is a good reason to get trained and get a license to carry, if you haven’t already, that is.

JRR April 11, 2018 (8:19 am)

The system is broken because we don’t fund it. You know, with taxes.

rico April 11, 2018 (9:41 am)

There is plenty of money being collected, but we are too busy providing massive amounts of funding to solving the unsolveable, homeless.

wscommuter April 11, 2018 (9:47 am)

@JRR – precisely.

The sad irony is that most folks who caterwaul the loudest about getting tough on crime are also those most unwilling to fund the resources necessary to accomplish that goal.

WSH – like most of the criminal justice system, is underfunded and lacks enough beds to take someone like Mr. Cox – so he waits his turn (involuntarily).

And yes, WSB is correct – they aren’t going to try to cure him in his 90-day stay. Its that medically, it takes about 90 days to pump enough drugs into him to see if they can get him “competent” – which is to say, capable of understanding and participating the prosecution of him that will follow.

MJ April 11, 2018 (11:14 am)

JRR

The City tax receipts have grown significantly in the past few years. Thus I’m unclear what your issue is.

I do not believe more government spending is the answer. Helping people that due to no fault on their own, born unlucky, is one thing. But how much do we need to spend on people who make bad choices?

April 30th is right around the corner with property tax due. Further federal tax is due mid month.

wscommuter April 11, 2018 (3:45 pm)

MJ – “City” taxes don’t fund Western State Hospital – state taxes do. Moreover, the “City” isn’t prosecuting Mr. Cox – the state is (via the King County Prosecutor’s Office, which enforces state law).

It’s wonderful that you “don’t believe more government spending is the answer. ” More power to you. But please don’t complain that Mr. Cox isn’t able to be moved to WSH now due to lack of space for him. It is precisely because they don’t have the funding for more mentally ill people that he hasn’t yet been moved there.

And please do share a solution that we don’t know about. I’m all ears.

West Seattle Hipster April 11, 2018 (4:42 pm)

WOW:

https://westseattleblog.com/?s=ryan+cox

MJ April 11, 2018 (5:33 pm)

wscommuter

The current catch and release is not working! Andy identified an option, I personally have a baseball bat.

I believe these perps need to be locked up and made to work behind bars to pay restitution. Last summer, I was assaulted by a homeless person at my home, this person was never arrested, they caught him but did not arrest. Thus I have zero tolerance for the continued failed system.

And if they do not fix it more people will gravitate to Andy’s option.

wscommuter April 11, 2018 (9:16 pm)

Trying to be respectful here. I understand the frustration of citizens about crime and of crime victims in particular. I spent a fair bit of my professional career working on behalf of victims of crime. I also understand that it feels good to talk about personal vengeance.

When you say “catch and release” it is very jingoistic, but not reality. People who commit violent crimes get incarcerated and punished. Mr. Cox will be punished, as exhibit A. If you want more serious punishment, gosh, talk to your representatives in Olympia and tell them to increase sentencing ranges for whatever crimes you think should be more seriously punished.

Reality is that non-violent property crimes and low-level drug crimes have low punishments for fairly simple reasons: the cost of incarceration. I think it costs about $100K/year to house an inmate (check me on that – could be an old number and might be higher now). Everybody wants to “get tough on crime” but very few people will vote to tax themselves to pay the cost of that incarceration.

It’s fine that you have “zero tolerance” for the system. Offer real solutions; tell us how to legally change things. But if all you’ve got is talk about baseball bats and aping what you heard on Fox, then you don’t have anything. Ranting is easy. Solutions are hard.