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Kansas Supreme Court backs man jailed 4 years pending trial

Ellison-photo Kan. Dept. of Corrections
Ellison-photo Kan. Dept. of Corrections

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court says the state violated the rights of a man jailed for more than four years pending trial on the claim he was a sexually violent predator subject involuntary civil commitment.

The justices agreed Friday with a Sedgwick County District judge who ordered Todd Ellison released from jail. The court found the state violated his due process rights after he remained jailed for 1,705 days.

Ellison is a convicted sex offender. The state tried to have him involuntarily committed after he served his prison sentence. Kansas law allows that in some circumstances, but the person is entitled to a jury trial to determine if those conditions exist.

He was jailed in June 2009 on the commitment claim. A judge ordered his release in March 2014.

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