FREDERICTON, New Brunswick -- Gregory Despres was mentally ill when his elderly neighbors were murdered and should not be held criminally responsible for his actions at the time, a psychiatrist told Despres' trial Monday.
Dr. Scott Theriault said the accused killer believed he was a military assassin at the time of the deaths and could not distinguish right from wrong.
Despres is charged with first degree murder in the deaths of Fred Fulton, 74, and Verna Decarie, 70. The couple was found stabbed to death in their Minto, New Brunswick, home in April 2005. "Mr. Despres would have thought he was fulfilling a military task that had been assigned to him," said Theriault, who has examined Despres several times, the last time in November.
"He would have been unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions."
Despres, 25, suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and there were signs he was mentally ill at least a year or two before the murders, said Theriault, a psychiatry professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax and director of the East Coast Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.
Despres has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The day of the murders, he crossed into the United States at the border crossing at Calais, Maine, where border agents confiscated a sword, brass knuckles, a hatchet and a chain but still let him in.
On Monday, Jeannie Despres told the court her son was a bright and lovable child who changed when he was in his late teens and moved to Minto to live with his terminally ill father.
"He became very withdrawn and rarely went out," she said. "There was definitely a change."
Despres said she made some tentative inquires about getting medical help for her son after he began ranting about belonging to organizations like the Hells Angels and the military.
She said she was told that since he was over 18, he would have to seek help himself, which he didn't do.
Relatives of the murder victims said outside court they are having trouble coping with the psychiatric testimony.
"What he's being accused of doing is pretty damn horrific," said Tony Martin, who is Decarie's son and lives in Montreal. He said the killings have "destroyed a lot lives."
The trial, before a judge alone, is entering its final stages.
Defense lawyer Ed Derrah, who called Theriault to testify, will present another psychiatric expert on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Paul Hawkins said the Crown will not call any expert witnesses to rebut the criminal responsibility evidence.
This is the second trial for Despres. The first one ended last spring after the judge decided he was unfit to stand trial.
During the first trial, Despres had several outbursts in which he claimed to be a U.S. Marine, an assassin, a pilot and a member of the Hells Angels. He also claimed affiliation with fictitious organizations called the National Space Agency and the Super Space Patrol.
The second trial began after Despres was treated for his delusions and placed on powerful anti-psychotic drugs.
Outside court, Theriault said someone found not criminally responsible by a judge still would be incarcerated in a facility where their medications and condition could be closely monitored.
He said the ultimate aim of treatment is to return the person to a life in the community, if possible.
"If someone is found not criminally responsible, the law in Canada requires us to try and rehabilitate the person and return them to the community," he said.
"One always hopes that at some point in the future they could be managed in the community, although that is with proper supervision and safeguards in place."
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