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

Canadians cut coupons as food prices surge: survey

The majority of respondents in a Canada-wide survey released Monday said they are using coupons or hunting for sales to cope with increasing food costs. Nearly 20 per cent were also reducing meal sizes or skipping meals altogether in order to save money.

Canadians cut coupons as food prices surge: survey

Horgan 'gained by listening' but fuse burns bright

Horgan, 63, who has twice battled cancer, said last summer that health reasons were forcing him to retire after five years as premier, eight years as NDP leader and five terms as a member of the legislature. He leaves office as one of B.C.'s most popular premiers, whom pollsters consistently rank as one of the most popular leaders in Canada.

Horgan 'gained by listening' but fuse burns bright

Trial for B.C. mayor charged with public mischief

McCallum ran his campaign against the backdrop of the charge laid last December, four months after he complained to the RCMP that a woman collecting signatures to keep the Mounties in Surrey ran over his foot outside a grocery store.

Trial for B.C. mayor charged with public mischief

NTSB seeks inspection of Canadian-made plane

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent safety recommendation Thursday, calling on Transport Canada and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to require immediate inspections of De Havilland Canada DHC-3 airplanes, better known as the DHC-3 Otter.

NTSB seeks inspection of Canadian-made plane

Feds move toward stand-alone dental insurance

Health Canada officials, who gave a briefing on the condition they not be named publicly, said that would help the government refine the program before hiring a company to do the work. The Liberals committed to some form of federal dental-care coverage for low-income Canadians in its March confidence and supply agreement with the New Democrats.

Feds move toward stand-alone dental insurance

Freeland's fiscal update coming Thursday

The fiscal update, to be presented in the House of Commons, will also share the government's outlook for an economy facing high inflation and staring down a potential recession in the coming months.