Claremont Addresses Possible Release of Serial Rapist in Letter to Court

Claremont officials have reached out to a judge handling the case of an admitted rapist and former resident who may be released back into Los Angeles County.

The council and city manager expressed concerned over the possible release of Christopher Evans Hubbart, a serial rapist who admitted assaulting about 40 women between 1971 and 1982, according to City News Service who culled their information from a 2004 opinion filed by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mayor Opanyi Nasiali and City Manager Tony Ramos signed a letter sent to Judge Gilbert T. Brown with the Santa Clara County Superior Court and the Justices of the Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District urging them to keep Hubbart in custody at Coalinga State Hospital in Santa Clara County.

Click here for the previous Patch story on this issue.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office has filed an emergency writ seeking to vacate a judge's order to release, CNS reported.

Rumors and misinformation fueled by some news reports had some residents concerned that Hubbart was to be released into Claremont. No such decision has been made, officials said. Many residents however agreed they do not want to see Hubbart released any area of Los Angeles County.

The city however has said it will take necessary action should Hubbart be sent to Claremont.

“Why would the trial court rule that Mr Hubbart should be released to Los Angeles County when the last time he was in Claremont was over ten years ago and he was only here for two months!” officials wrote in the letter to the court. “During that short period of time, he admitted that he was losing control again thereby causing a significant threat to our community which has some of the country’s finest colleges.”

We’ve included a pdf of the letter with this story. It can be found with the photo files.