The author of the killing in Old Quebec was ill, according to psychiatrist Gilles Chamberland. In addition to being on the autism spectrum, he suffered according to the expert from schizophrenia and was “delirious” at the time of the acts with which he is accused.
“In my opinion, he is on the autism spectrum,” the expert first said in his testimony Friday morning. You can see it, he said, “in the way he reacts”, when he “rocks” back and forth and in his “way of relating to others”, which is “extremely difficult”.
Added to this is a schizophrenic disorder of which he presented the warning signs from the age of 12, continued the Dr Chamberland.
Accused of two murders and five attempted murders, he heard no voices, as is the case with other schizophrenics. He also didn’t have multiple personalities, he explained. On the other hand, he was struck by “delusional” ideas, such as the conviction that he would demonstrate his “courage” by killing people with a sword. “If that’s not delirium, I don’t know what is. »
Gilles Chamberland is the expert witness on whom the defense relies to plead that Carl Girouard, 26, is not criminally responsible for the actions taken on October 31, 2020 due to mental disorders.
Access to “all services”
Contrary to what many suspected the day after the killings, Carl Girouard had access to many mental health services, he also pointed out. We are dealing, he said, with a young person “very disturbed who consulted in child psychiatry from primary school, to whom all the services are given but it does not work and we cannot help him, supervise him “.
Reports cited by the Dr Chamberland further indicate that his mother was very present. “We are far from a child we did not take care of. On the contrary. »
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the accused explained to the Court that there were “two Carl Girouards”: the benevolent Carl Girouard who testified and the violent and dangerous Carl Girouard responsible for the October 31 attack.
More details will follow.