At the same time the sobs of a woman attacked by the “South Hill rapist” more than 45 years ago echoed through the Spokane County Courthouse, her attacker was getting ready to embrace freedom.

She was there on her 67th birthday, recounting her trauma of the rape all over again, with no legal route to persuade the state of Washington to keep him locked away at the civil commitment facility at McNeil Island.

The law is clear: Spokane’s most notorious sex criminal, Fred “Kevin” Coe, now 77 years old, would be released from confinement because he is in poor health and no longer deemed a credible threat to society.

The woman, who asked not to be identified because she still fears Coe, directed her comments at him during Thursday’s hearing scheduled to approve his release. But Coe waived his

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