California residents are upset after a judge allowed a notorious serial rapist to move into their community, igniting fears for public safety.
The scrutiny began after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Harrison ruled on Monday that Christopher Hubbart, known as the "Pillowcase Rapist," would be released from a state hospital and placed in Juniper Hills.
The ruling has been met with intense backlash from local officials, including Mayor Austin Bishop, who expressed concern about his community's safety.
"This decision is unacceptable and a slap in the face to every person who voiced their opinion on this matter; to say that I am outraged is an understatement," Mayor Austin Bishop said in a statement, according to the Daily News. "The entire process was a sham: from the initial decision made in Santa Clara to the hearing being placed outside of the Antelope Valley, it was clear there was never any intention to listen to our voices."
Hubbart, now 74, had a prior release revoked due to violations, raising even more concerns among residents in the Antelope Valley.
"Christopher Hubbart has been convicted in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties for a series of at least 40 rapes and other sex crimes and placing him in our community endangers our residents," Bishop added.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger also condemned the decision, labeling it "appalling" and citing that the community deserved better protection against predators.
"The L.A. Superior Court's ruling on the 'Pillowcase Rapist's' placement is simply appalling," Barger said in a statement, according to the outlet. "Hubbart was already placed in this region in 2014, only to be removed for violating conditions of release. The bottom line is he belongs in a secure and locked facility. Community integration should never have been on the table."
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