A three-judge panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that would allow the conditional release of serial rapist Thomas Duvall from the Minnesota Sex Offender Program. Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper has said she’ll appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Attorneys for Duvall argued the court should focus on his success in treatment rather than his violent past. But Piper says Duvall’s release would be “far too great a risk to public safety.” Duvall finished his prison sentence but was judged at high risk of re-offending and committed by court order to the program at the state Security Hospital in Saint Peter.