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WEST CHESTER, PA – Killer Richard Greist must remain committed against his will to Norristown State Hospital for another year, a Chester County Court judge has ruled, but can be given expanded off-ground privileges as he continues to progress in his psychiatric treatment.
Judge Edward Griffith filed an order recommitting Greist on Tuesday, agreeing with the recommendation of his treating psychiatrist at Norristown that he needs to remain in the secure environment of the hospital for fear that if released, he could decompensate mentally and see the psychosis that led to the killing of his wife and infant son re-emerge.
“However,” wrote the judge in his seven-page opinion and order, ”based on the progress in therapy that Mr. Greist has made during the past year, which is demonstrated by insight into his daily choices, greater self-awareness, expressions of sadness and remorse over his past conduct … as well as his conduct on and off (Norristown) grounds, we have permitted Mr. Greist additional off-ground, unsupervised privileges.”
Instead of the current quarterly, 12-hour, unsupervised, off-ground passes, beginning this year Greist will have such privileges every two months in a row, and then a 24-hour overnight pass in the third month. He is also permitted supervised, off-grounds passes overseen by Norristown staff as he has had in the past, and is once more allowed to attend Sunday church services at the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall Temple in West Norriton.
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