JEFFERSON COUNTY — A Jefferson County mother is speaking out after the man who killed her son with a sword was granted conditional release from a mental health facility, nearly 12 years after the tragic incident.
Brenda Vander Heyden's world was shattered in 2014 when now 40-year-old Young Choi killed her son Dustin Vander Heydon inside an apartment building above a bar in Watertown.
Court documents show Choi was found guilty but not guilty due to a mental disease or defect.
"It rocked us big time," Vander Heyden said.
On Tuesday morning, Choi was granted conditional release from the Mendota Mental Health Institute, where he has been in state custody since the incident.
"I don't think he's ready to be released even though he says he is," Vander Heyden said.
Watch: Mother seeks justice as son's killer granted conditional release after 2014 murder
The Jefferson County Clerk confirmed that Choi's conditional release plan is confidential. However, court records show he cannot have any contact with victims or travel to the city of Watertown. He will also be required to wear a GPS monitor and will be placed in a supervised group home upon release.
Despite these restrictions, Vander Heyden remains concerned about public safety.
"It's still in the back of my mind, if he would take off, if he would hurt somebody," she said.
The ongoing legal proceedings continue to reopen old wounds for the grieving mother.
"The wound starts to heal. And every time we have to go back to court, it just rips that bandage right off, and we gotta start all over again," Vander Heyden said. "You're not healed in so many months. And what has it been — it will be 12 years this year."
Vander Heyden believes the current system is flawed and is calling for legislative changes.
"He should be transferred to a state prison. Because you can have your medication, you can have your medical, you can have your psychiatric appointments, you can have all of that in prison. And life should be life," she said.
"We need to change the law, we need to reach out to our representatives and have this sanity plea changed," Vander Heyden said.
TMJ4 interviewed Nicholas Gansner back in November. He represents Choi.
When asked about Choi's release, Gansner said, "He will be significantly, heavily supervised and supported in the community to make sure he remains not a danger to himself, not a danger to others, and not at risk of committing serious property damage.”
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