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A Connecticut man, who gained infamy for confessing to a gruesome murder in 2011 that involved cannibalism, has been granted a conditional release from psychiatric care. Tyree Smith was allowed to leave Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown under the oversight of the state’s Psychiatric Security Review Board.
On a recent Friday, the board’s decision to permit Smith’s conditional release raised significant concerns among lawmakers and local residents. Although he will now leave the facility, Smith will continue to receive mental health services and remain under strict supervision.
The panel concluded that Smith has made considerable progress in his rehabilitation journey. A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Caren Teitelbaum, who has closely monitored Smith’s treatment, stated that he has been stable and compliant with his medication regimen. She noted his improvement, saying he has become a supportive figure to fellow patients.
“Once he was stable, he was a calming presence for other patients,” Dr. Teitelbaum explained. She emphasized that Smith no longer experiences visual hallucinations and does not express harm towards himself or others.
However, some figures, particularly Republican state Senator Paul Cicarella, openly criticized the decision to release Smith. Cicarella expressed his distress over the combination of murder and cannibalism associated with Smith’s past.
The lawmaker described the release as deeply troubling, stating, “Murder and cannibalism and release in the same sentence. That’s a problem. That’s concerning to me.” He labeled the board’s decision as
