The man accused of stabbing three people at a festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown in September 2023 has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated assault.
Blair Donnelly, who attended court on Monday carrying a Bible and wearing a navy sweatsuit and bright orange sandals, had been on unescorted leave from the B.C. Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam the day of the attack.
Crown prosecutor Mark Myhre said Donnelly had admitted he was the person who stabbed the three victims.
"I anticipate the only issue of the court is whether or not Mr. Donnelly is criminally liable or if he is not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder," Myhre said.
The attack triggered an outraged response in the days that followed, with Premier David Eby saying he was "white-hot angry" to find out the suspect was on leave from the hospital.
A report released last year, authored by former Abbotsford Police chief Bob Rich, said Donnelly had previously been let out of a psychiatric care facility 99 times in the year before the stabbings without incident.
But he stabbed a friend while out on a day pass in 2009 and attacked a fellow patient with a butter knife shortly after returning from leave in 2017, according to B.C. Review Board documents.
Donnelly entered his pleas at the Supreme Court in Vancouver as his trial by judge alone began.
The Crown presented opening arguments before sharing surveillance video depicting what it said were Donnelly's movements before, during and after the attack. It closed its case in the afternoon.
Myhre told the court Donnelly was given day leave from the psychiatric hospital for a bike ride, but he went to a Home Depot store where he purchased a chisel.
He said Donnelly biked to Braid Skytrain station where he took the train to Vancouver and attended the Light Up Chinatown festival.
Myhre said Donnelly stabbed people sitting in front of him watching a musical performance just before 6 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2023.
He said two women were stabbed in the back and received stitches while a man who was stabbed in the arm and also suffered an abrasion to his left knee had his wounds bandaged.
All three victims received tetanus shots, the court heard.
Myhre said Donnelly suffers from a mental illness, "but at this point, from the Crown's perspective, the live issues are whether he was suffering from the illness on that day."
"If so, was it of such a nature that deprived him of the ability to know that what he was doing was wrong?"
Myhre presented video footage of Donnelly wearing an orange vest and helmet walking into the Home Depot and purchasing the chisel through the self-checkout line.
He also showed footage of Donnelly entering the Skytrain station sporting a red shirt and black hat at the festival. He could be seen standing behind one of the victims in one shot, while Myhre said another displayed video evidence of the attack.
Myhre said Donnelly did not say anything to any of the victims "immediately, prior, during or after the assaults."
CCTV footage shown in court also depicted Donnelly running away from the area before he was arrested, Myhre told the court.
Video of a police interview with Donnelly that was conducted about six hours after the stabbings was also shown on Monday. Donnelly was seen declining to connect with a lawyer despite officers suggesting he do so.
He responded "no comment" to most of their questions, including how he felt about the victims suffering "serious injuries" and whether it was a targetted attack because all three victims were Asian.
He did, however, say he had taken his medication that morning around 8 a.m. and confirmed that he had taken the Skytrain to downtown Vancouver and attended the festival.
Following the video evidence, the Crown closed its case.
The trial will continue Tuesday with defence expected to present its case.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
