Prosecutors say 47-year-old Willie King was released as part of the state’s mental health diversion program before allegedly fatally shooting a man.<\/p>\n
SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014 A 47-year-old man accused in a deadly shooting in Sacramento appeared in court Thursday, as prosecutors argued the killing should have never happened.<\/p>\n
Willie King faces a murder charge in connection with a March 12 shooting on Washington Avenue<\/a>, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney\u2019s Office. Because of the charge, he is no longer eligible for release under California\u2019s mental health diversion program.<\/p>\n Prosecutors allege the victim was fixing a fence when King drove up, got out of his car, said something, and shot the man.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a man who was simply fixing a fence, and the defendant drove by in his car, got out of it, mumbled something to the victim, and shot him in cold blood,\u201d said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho.<\/p>\n Ho said King had been released from jail before the shooting under the state\u2019s mental health diversion program, despite objections from prosecutors.<\/p>\n According to the district attorney, King had three prior strike convictions for burglary. His most recent charge before his release involved assaulting a sheriff\u2019s deputy while in custody.<\/p>\n \u201cWe charged him with that crime and because he applied and received for mental health diversion over my office\u2019s objection, he was able to get out of custody,\u201d Ho said.<\/p>\n California\u2019s controversial <\/a>mental health diversion law, enacted in 2018, allows some defendants to receive treatment instead of remaining in custody.<\/p>\n \u201cIt allows anybody who\u2019s in custody for charges like attempted murder, assault, a drive-by shooting, a robbery to get out of custody and all that person needs is a doctor\u2019s note that says they\u2019re suffering from ADHD, or depression, or caffeine addiction and then basically, they get out of custody to get treatment,\u201d Ho said.<\/p>\n He said prosecutors face a high burden to block such releases.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, it requires me to be Nostradamus, to be a fortune teller, and how am I supposed to do that?\u201d Ho said. \u201cOur hands are tied behind our backs trying to ensure public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n Ho called the law a threat to public safety and linked it to multiple deaths.<\/p>\n \u201cSadly, tragically, we now have somebody that has died as a result of this law that simply needs to be changed,\u201d Ho said. \u201cWillie King got out of custody, and he killed an innocent man.\u201d<\/p>\n King is being held without bail. His next court date is scheduled for April 8.<\/p>\n The district attorney said he hopes proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 46<\/a>, will bring changes to the diversion program.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bill recently passed a state Senate committee and is now under further consideration. It would give judges more discretion in deciding whether defendants qualify for mental health diversion.<\/p>\n The Sacramento County Coroner\u2019s Office has not yet released the identity of the man killed.<\/p>\n