Psych assessment ordered for attempted murder suspect

A 28-year-old man accused of trying to kill his elderly parents continues to undergo a forensic assessment and won’t be back in court for another month.

The psychiatric assessment had been ordered last month following a hearing in Lethbridge provincial court, but following another hearing Friday, court was told doctors at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre in Calgary needed more time to complete the report.

The assessment, ordered under Section 672 of the Criminal Code, is to determine whether the man is unfit to stand trial and whether he was, at the time of the alleged offence, suffering from a mental disorder so as to be exempt from criminal responsibility.

The accused, who is not being identified to protect the identity of the victims, appeared in court by closed-circuit TV from the Calgary Remand Centre. He has yet to hire a lawyer and was assisted by duty counsel.

Police reported that at about 2:41 a.m. Feb. 11 a man entered a westside home and stabbed a 72year-old man and 62year-old woman while they slept in their bed.

The elderly man sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital where he was treated and released. His wife was treated at the residence by EMS.

Police located the couple’s son a short distance away and he was arrested without incident. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

The case is back in court April 16.

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