Saber Attack of Old Quebec | No ‘slide’ into schizophrenia, expert says

An expert called by the Crown at the trial of Carl Girouard affirms that the saber killer does not present several symptoms linked to psychosis and schizophrenia.

The psychiatrist D.^r Sylvain Faucher presented to the jurors, Thursday, his analysis of the mental state of the accused at the time of committing his actions.

According to the specialist, who met the accused twice in March, Girouard does not present a large number of factors relating to the psychotic process.

D^r Faucher did not observe in the functioning of the 26-year-old man any “sagging” or “slipping” that can lead to schizophrenia.

“The idea of ​​killing does not come in a blue sky,” said the expert.

In the years leading up to his Oct. 31, 2020 attack in Old Quebec, which left two dead and five injured, Girouard is “performing at work” and he is able to live alone in an apartment, described the D^r Mow.

At the relational level, he did not note any slippage since the accused never had any friends throughout his life, but he is able to nurture relations with members of his family.

The D^r Nor does Faucher believe that Girouard suffered from delusions and hallucinations. His “mission” to kill people was particularly inspired by the video games he consumed.

The expert thus contradicts one of the defense witnesses, Dr.^r Gilles Chamberland. The latter had argued at trial that the accused suffered from schizophrenia and was in full psychotic delirium at the time of the carnage.

Girouard is charged with two counts of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. He admitted to the crimes, but pleads that he is not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder.

The Crown tries to show that the individual was able to tell right from wrong.

The D^r Faucher based his analysis on various psychiatric evaluations, notes and testimonies given during the trial.

He also mentioned that he cannot conclude that the accused has an autism spectrum disorder, but without completely ruling it out.

There is some evidence pointing to such a diagnosis, but psychiatric evaluations conducted in different years are “incomplete” and show a “picture” at the time of the meetings with the accused, said the D^r Mow.