This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
TACOMA, Wash. • A Washington state Court of Appeals has determined that Steven Powell doesn't have to disclose his sexual history as part of sex offender treatment because doing so would violate one of his constitutional rights.
The News Tribune reports that Powell argued in his appeal that being forced to discuss his sexual history violated his Fifth Amendment right that protects him against self-incrimination. The appeals court sided with him Tuesday, reversing a Superior Court judge's ruling that ordered him jailed for 40 days.
Powell was convicted of voyeurism in 2012 for taking photos of two neighbor girls using the bathroom. He served 30 months in prison and was ordered to complete sexual deviancy treatment.
The images were found during an investigation into the high-profile disappearance of his daughter-in-law, Susan Powell.