The bus driver, who is accused of killing two children by falling into a day care center in Laval, should soon undergo a psychiatric evaluation to see if he faces criminal responsibility for the crimes he is accused of, it has been told The newspaper.
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Me Julien Lespérance Hudon, a lawyer representing Pierre Ny St-Amand, plans to ask today when he will return to court to order a psychiatric evaluation, according to sources well-versed in the case.
With kind approval
Defendant Pierre Ny St-Amand.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” said retired judge Nicole Gibeault yesterday. Surely everyone asks a lot of questions, especially their lawyers. »
The 51-year-old Laval Transport Company (STL) employee, currently being held in Bordeaux prison, was scheduled to attend his performance via video conference.
Naked and aggressive
When the court orders his evaluation, the suspect will likely see his file end up at the Philippe Pinel Institute, where psychiatrists will have to decide on his mental state at the time of the crime.
The latter faces two charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and the attempted death of daycare residents on February 8.
With kind approval
Jacob Gauthier, 4, died in the tragedy.
That morning at around 8:30 a.m., the STL driver reportedly pulled into the Garderie Éducative Ste-Rose. Little Jacob Gauthier, 4 years old, and Maëva David, 5 years old, died there.
Photo provided by Maëva David’s family
The other victim, Maëva David, 5 years old.
Recall that after the heavy vehicle crashed into the daycare, St-Amand stripped naked and tried to fight with relatives and neighbors, who eventually overpowered him. Also, in his first appearance, he had become aggressive and punched a police officer he was trying to snatch the phone from.
to appear appropriate
According to our sources, after episodes in which he was contradictory, the defendant would now be “more conspicuous”.
Photo Martin Alari
In the square in front of the Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church, the people who came to see Jacob Gauthier’s funeral exchanged several hugs to comfort each other.
However, depending on the outcome of the expert’s report, it is plausible to assume that his representatives will elect to defend himself on the grounds of mental illness at the time of the events.
So far no one has explained, not even the experts who have seen it since the tragedy, what prompted this father of two, who was about to be married, to make such a gesture.
“At the end there has to be a diagnosis. Elements are then to be evaluated in order to determine responsibility at the time of the events. What is the diagnosis? And was it present at the moment of the incident? explains former judge Gibeault.
The Criminal Code stipulates a period of 60 days for the preparation of a psychiatric report. However, the shortage of psychiatrists has recently led to extensions for a number of reasons.
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