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Is The Pillowcase Rapist Headed Back To State Mental Hospital?

LAKE LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)  —  Christopher Hubbart, the so-called Pillowcase Rapist, may be enjoying his last few days of freedom.

A judge on Friday approved a hearing for later this month to determine if Hubbart -- currently living in a private home in Lake Los Angeles -- should go back to a state mental hospital.

Hubbart was released last summer.

KCAL9's Erica Nochlin reports that residents in Lake Los Angeles, near Palmdale, haven't stopped campaigning and fighting for Hubbart to be sent elsewhere.

It includes people chanting outside his home.

"Get out, Hubbart!"

The protesting has been going on for nine months.

Make that nine months and two days, say the protesters.

"If Hubbart is so safe, hire him to work in your house, let him work and play with your family. Not mine," says protester James Roberts.

That sentiment is echoed by neighbor Sharon Duvernay.

"My initial feelings were panic. I was really afraid," she said.

Duvernay is a rape survivor and Hubbart's nearest neighbor. Even more than nine months later, she says she doesn't feel safe.

"It's still an unnerving feeling," she told Nochlin.

Duvernay is hopeful that prosecutors can convince a judge that a residential neighborhood is no place for Hubbart, a repeat and serial offender.

If he were to be gone from their midst? "I would feel elated," Duvernay said.

Under the conditions of his release, Hubbart is required to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet and attend therapy sessions. There are also armed guards outside his home. So why could all of this change now? Nochlin says the LA County District Attorney's office won't release those details.

However, in a statement, the DA's office said: "We believe this violent predator continues to pose a serious danger to our community. My office is committed to protecting the public."

If a judge doesn't see it that way, Hubbart could be allowed to stay.

But should that happen, protesters told Nochlin they will also stay and keep fighting.

"We'll still be here. We'll be here every day until he's gone," says Norma Valenti.

Adds Duvernay: "I will not let him hurt anybody on our watch."

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