Lawyer seeks transfer for accused

ACCUSED IN STABBING ORDERED TO APPEAR IN LETHBRIDGE COURT

A Lethbridge man accused of trying to kill his elderly parents has been ordered to attend in person for his next court appearance.

The man, whose name is not being published, has been appearing by closed-circuit TV from the Calgary Remand Centre, but during a hearing Monday in Lethbridge provincial court, his lawyer asked that his client be transferred to Lethbridge so they can talk face to face.

Police reported that at about 2:41 a.m. Feb. 11 a man entered a westside home and stabbed a 72-year-old man and 62-year-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 on scene by EMS. Police located the couple’s son a short distance away and he was arrested without incident.

The 28-year-old accused had been transferred to the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre in Calgary in February for a psychiatric assessment to determine whether he is unfit to stand trial and whether he was, at the time of the alleged offence, suffering from a mental disorder that could exempt him from criminal responsibility. Court was told Monday the Crown and defence haven’t yet received the resulting report, and the matter was adjourned to May 15.

Although he remains in custody on two counts each of attempted murder and aggravated assault, the accused has been prohibited from contacting his parents except through written correspondence. One or both of his parents have been attending his court hearings, however.

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