National

Calgary man found not criminally responsible for five stabbing deaths faces review

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Nov, 2023 03:03 PM

A lawyer for an Alberta man found not criminally responsible for killing five young people at a Calgary house party is asking the province's review board to release him on an absolute discharge.

A hearing has heard that Matthew de Grood had several two-week unescorted passes from an Edmonton group home over the last year to visit his parents in Calgary.

His psychiatrist says de Grood was not required to check in with group home staff while on the passes, and there were no problems.

De Grood was found not criminally responsible for the 2014 stabbing deaths of Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaiti Perras, Josh Hunter and Lawrence Hong.

Court determined he had been living with undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time and he has since been under psychiatric care.

Each year, the Criminal Code Review Board assesses de Grood's treatment and determines whether he should be allowed any increased privileges or freedoms.

Dr. Oghogho Manuwa told the board Thursday that de Grood is a low risk to reoffend but, if another event were to happen, it could be violent.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Two children dead in bus attack on Quebec daycare

The 51-year-old male driver has been arrested and faces charges of homicide and dangerous driving, Erika Landry, spokesperson with the police in Laval, Que., told reporters. The injuries suffered by the six children in hospital are not life-threatening. Authorities did not release the ages of the dead and injured children.

Two children dead in bus attack on Quebec daycare

B.C. minister says her cancer has returned

Selina Robinson told the B.C. legislature that she got the news on Jan. 27. Robinson has previously shared her 2006 diagnosis about a "rare form of intestinal cancer" in a post on social media.

B.C. minister says her cancer has returned

Federal health offer is $196 billion over a decade

There will also be an immediate one-time $2 billion top-up to this year's Canada Health Transfer to help provinces ease the intense pressure on emergency rooms and children's hospitals. Provinces can also get $1.7 billion over five years to increase wages for personal support workers in long-term care and home care.

Federal health offer is $196 billion over a decade

COVID critic died of drug toxicity: B.C. coroner

The report says Mak Parhar was found by a family member unresponsive in the bathroom of his New Westminster home on Nov. 4, 2021. The coroner's report says Parhar had ethanol, cocaine and fentanyl in his system at the time of death, ruling it accidental due to "mixed illicit drug toxicity."

COVID critic died of drug toxicity: B.C. coroner

West Fraser Timber to curtail Quesnel, B.C., mill

West Fraser says the downtime at the Cariboo mill will help the company align its production capacity, though its plans may change if the fibre forecasts do. The company says the mill expects to mitigate some of the impact on employees through vacation scheduling and alternative work assignments.

West Fraser Timber to curtail Quesnel, B.C., mill

Climate change pushes B.C. urchins to shallows

The study's co-author, Rylan Command, said heat domes and heat waves are becoming more common, and understanding how the ocean responds to those changes can have a direct impact on people.