Lawyers focus on mental state of man accused in stabbing attack

A jury is being urged to consider the mental state of a man accused of killing two co-workers and wounding four others in a bloody knife attack at a grocery warehouse.

Jayme Pasieka has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder, in the stabbings three years ago.

Defence lawyer Peter Royal said during closing arguments Thursday that jurors should have doubts about whether the Crown’s case meets the test of showing intent for first-degree murder. He suggested they could find Pasieka guilty of manslaughter.

Thierno Bah, 41, and Fitzroy Harris, 50, were killed in the attack.

Royal said the evidence shows Pasieka, 32, suffered from severe schizophrenia and that he told police he didn’t plan to kill and felt sad about what happened.

“This was a man going through a nervous breakdown,” Pasieka Royal said. “Clearly Mr. Pasieka was severely disturbed at the time.”

Crown prosecutor Kim Goddard told the jury that Pasieka’s mental-health symptoms were mild and evidence shows he planned to end his own suffering by killing others. Goddard said that on the day of the stabbings Pasieka wore a military-style vest, dressed all in black and left his Edmonton home with two knives. Before going to work, he went to a store at West Edmonton Mall to buy two extra knives and had a normal conversation with a clerk.

When Pasieka arrived at the Loblaws warehouse, he signed in for his shift and put on a sweatshirt to hide the weapons.

Goddard said Pasieka then walked slowly toward a group of co-workers before stabbing people multiple times, aiming for the chest and head.

Justice Donna Shelley gave her charge to the jury on Thursday afternoon and the jury began its deliberations.