SPOKANE -- Kathy Coe described her brother, convicted rapist Kevin as being "a great big brother."

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Kevin Coe is pictured here with a high school girlfriend. Jurors were shown the picture in court on Thursday during Coe's civil commitment trial.

Defense attorneys called Kathy Coe to the stand on Thursday.

Coe is nearly nine years older than his sister. Despite their age difference she said she and her brother always had a good relationship.

Kathy Coe - who lives in the Seattle area - said if released from prison, she would like to help her brother get established so he could possibly live on his own.Initially; however, Kathy Coe said he needs to be "institutionalized" and living in some form of an assisted living-care facility because he has been incarcerated for the last 26 years.

"He's, from my observation... he's changed so much," she said. "He's... so lost hope, and he will need help to get over that kind of depression."

If released, Kevin Coe said he would like to relocate to either Reno or Las Vegas.

Prosecutors want to have Coe civilly committed to prison arguing that Coe is a sexual deviant who is not fit to re-enter mainstream society.