The Philippe-Pinel Institute says it needs more time to assess the mental state of the man accused of killing two young children by driving his bus into a Laval daycare center in February.
The Montreal Institute of Forensic Psychiatry had been instructed by the court to assess the mental state of Pierre Ny St-Amand on February 8, at the time of the crimes with which he is charged.
But the Philippe-Pinel Institute told the court in Laval on Tuesday that because of the complexity of the case, it needed another 30 days to assess whether Mr. St-Amand’s mental state was such that he could be held criminally responsible for his actions that day.
The accused was already deemed fit to stand trial on February 24, after an initial psychiatric assessment.
The 51-year-old driver from the Société de transport de Laval was arrested after his bus crashed into a daycare center in the Sainte-Rose district. Two four-year-old children died and six others were injured.
Mr. St-Amand is charged with two counts of first degree murder as well as seven other counts, including attempted murder and aggravated assault.
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