MONTREAL — The jury asked questions of a witness at Luka Rocco Magnotta's first-degree murder trial for the first time Thursday — Day 33 of the high-profile case.
Justice Guy Cournoyer read out three questions to Dr. Joel Watts, a psychiatrist who assessed Magnotta for criminal responsibility on behalf of the defence.
In response to a query about what effect a combination of Temazepam, Benadryl and alcohol could have on a person suffering from paranoid psychosis, Watts replied it did not necessarily have a direct impact on psychotic symptoms or hallucinations.
Jurors also wanted to know whether Magnotta's 2011 hospitalization in Miami could have been caused by his no longer taking anti-psychotic medication.
Watts said it could possibly be in part responsible.
Finally, the jury wondered to what extent Magnotta's answers to Watts in his reports might have been shaped by what his lawyer, Luc Leclair, revealed to him about the case.
Watts had previously told the trial that Magnotta said he couldn't always make the distinction between his own memories and what Leclair told him.
Watts replied that while some of what Magnotta told him might have been influenced by the lawyer, only the accused would have memories of psychotic elements.
The forensic psychiatrist repeated that he believes those symptoms were not fabricated.
Magnotta admits having caused the death and dismemberment of Jun Lin in May 2012, but is arguing in favour of a mental disorder defence.
Watts and another psychiatrist have testified for the defence that Magnotta was psychotic the night of the killing and was incapable of telling right from wrong.
The Crown is arguing the crimes were planned and deliberate.
