Sexually Violent Predator Civilly Committed

LIBERTY — A Liberty County Jury has decided that a man known as a sexually violent predator is a danger to the community and should be kept off the street. 

The jury in the 253rd District Court by Judge Chap Cain III, opted instead to civilly commit Terry Lee Hayden, 38, of Liberty County as a Sexually Violent Predator on Tuesday, May 14. 

“There are men in this world who have and always will pose a danger to the community. Terry Hayden is one of those individuals. I am thankful that a jury in Liberty County was willing to see Hayden for who and what he is and make sure that he remains incarcerated and unable to harm any other children in our communities. He is where he belongs,” said Liberty County District Attorney Jennifer L. Bergman. 

Hayden was previously convicted of Sexual Assault of a Child and Indecency with a Child by Contact in 2006 and was set to be released from prison, when the DAs office filed suit to prevent his release into the community.  

Marc Gault and Rachel Jordan, attorneys with the Special Prosecution Unit, prosecuted the case. During the trial, evidence was presented of Hayden’s prior convictions. Dr. Darrell Turner, a forensic psychologist, testified as an expert in sexually violent predators and behavioral abnormality. 

Evidence was presented that Hayden first encountered trouble with police at the age of 10, made money as a drug dealer, and was kicked out of DHS and sent to alternative school when an allegation of sexual impropriety was made against him.  

Hayden, then an adult, received his first Indecency with a Child charge and was given community supervision. While on community supervision, Hayden committed another sexual offense as well as convictions for Assault against a Family Member and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.  

Hayden scored high on the Static-99R, an instrument used to measure a sex offender’s risk for re-conviction, and the Psychopathy Checklist Revised instrument measured Hayden to be in the High Psychopathic Range.  

Hayden did not demonstrate any rehabilitation while in prison and received disciplinary cases throughout his incarceration for Sexual Misconduct.  

After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict finding Hayden was indeed a Sexually Violent Predator. Hayden will now be housed at the Littlefield Texas Civil Commitment Center and receive intensive in-patient sex offender treatment.  

He will not be released into the community until another psychologist has determined he no longer poses a risk. 

“Terry Hayden is a persistent sexual predator who poses a significant risk to the community,” Gault said.