Chamberlain's Attorney Requests Transfer To SF General Hospital Lockdown Facility
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Ryan Chamberlain, the San Francisco public relations consultant who became the focus of a three-day nationwide manhunt, was in court Friday morning with a number of legal issues on the agenda, including his mental-health status and a possible transfer to a hospital.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Chamberlain, 42, the suspect charged on a single count of possessing an illegal destructive device, listened as his attorney requested that he be transferred to San Francisco General Hospital's lockdown facility for a psychiatric evaluation.
Public defender Jodi Linker asked that the transfer occur on Friday while Chamberlain is in custody. U.S. Marshals are being contacted to see if the transfer is possible.
Details of Chamberlain's court-ordered mental-health evaluation by U.S. Magistrate Nathanael Cousins were not released.
Prosecutor Philip Kearney noted that the report by the court's pretrial services staff said that Chamberlain has no previous history of mental health treatment or use of drugs to treat mental illness. The report, prepared after an interview Thursday, has not been made public.
Kearney said he didn't oppose a mental health evaluation but said, "When I read the pretrial services report, I see little or no basis for...a mental health issue" thus far.
"I think there's a need, from the pretrial services report and from what I've seen in court, for a psychiatric evaluation," Cousins said.
"Based on the charge, I would not be inclined to release him" during the evaluation, the magistrate said.
The judge refused to let Chamberlain post bail pending his trial, which has not yet been scheduled. Chamberlain has yet to enter a plea.
Linker said she believes that Chamberlain's condition will deteriorate if kept under current conditions.
Meanwhile, the judge has also released the suspect's search warrant, but did keep one attachment sealed, which is an X-ray showing a messenger bag. According to the criminal complaint it had already been reported that the bag contained screws, ball bearings, a circuit board, and a model rocket motor.
Chamberlain's court hearing is expected to continue on Friday at 1:30 p.m. More information on the whereabouts of his detainment and psychiatric evaluation are expected to unfold at that time.
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