BOSTON — The fate of a convicted serial sex offender who is trying to get out of the state's custody, is now up to a jury.
Wayne Chapman has admitted to molesting up to 100 boys over his lifetime, but now a jury will decide if he should be released.
The jury deliberated for about three hours Tuesday, but went home at 4 p.m. without reaching a verdict.
The question the jury is deciding is if Chapman is still sexually dangerous.
This is now the third time convicted serial pedophile Chapman has tried to win his release.
On this final day of his trial, Chapman's attorney told the jury that he is no longer sexually dangerous because he physically can no longer victimize children, and he should be released.
“He's just too old, and too sick and his life won't create the circumstances to allow him to reoffend. Even if he wanted to, I’m not saying he does want to, or did want to, but regardless, it's not even feasible to think that he could,” Eric Tennen said.
The state is fighting to keep Chapman in custody, even though he has fully served his prison time.
Chapman's sex crimes against boys, date back to the 1960s
He is a suspect in the 1976 disappearance of Andy Puglisi, who has never been found after disappearing from a Lawrence swimming pool.
In 2007 the state had Chapman declared a sexually dangerous person, he has been civilly committed ever since.
The state is arguing he is just as dangerous to children as he ever was.
“One hundred boys, eight states, two countries. The depth and breadth of that deviancy and he has had what I would suggest to you he has had a teaspoon of treatment for a tidal wave of deviancy,” Mary Murray said.
There are 13 jurors deciding this case, if 11 of them believe Chapman is still dangerous he will continue to be held.
The jury will return to work Wednesday at 9 a.m.
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