Accused in mass murder to undergo psychiatric tests
CA L GA RY — Nothing in Matthew de Grood’s past behaviour foreshadowed the horrific events of April 15, when he is accused to have fatally stabbed five students at a university year-end party, his lawyer said outside court following his client’s first in-person court appearance Tuesday.
For that reason, said Allan Fay, the court agreed to order a 30-day psychiatric assessment to determine if de Grood, 22, was not criminally responsible for Calgary’s worst mass murder in history.
“A number of witnesses commented on his behaviour, what he was saying — these sorts of things,” said Fay. “Nothing about my client’s situation leading up to these events could have possibly indicated to anyone that something like this could happen.”
De Grood, who is charged with five counts of first-degree murder, appeared in a provincial courtroom packed with friends and family of the five victims. A two-week preliminary hearing was set for March 2, 2015.
He is accused of killing Lawrence Hong, 27; Josh Hunter, 23; Kaitlin Perras, 23; Zackariah Rathwell, 21; and Jordan Segura, 22, as they celebrated the final day of University of Calgary classes at a house party.
Crown prosecutor Neil Wiberg requested that de Grood be sent immediately to Alberta Hospital in Edmonton to undergo the 30day assessment to determine his mental fitness at the time of the slayings. Provincial court Judge Frank Maloney then made the order.
“It’s not like fitness to stand trial, where if an accused is not fit, you can’t proceed,” Wiberg said outside court. “This is an opinion and it would be relevant at the actual trial.”
Wiberg said there were two reasons he requested the assessment: because de Grood has been certified under the Mental Health Act by a doctor; and a request by the psychiatrist that came back from the last court appearance May 22, when he was found fit to stand trial, that recommended an assessment be done on the issue of whether he was not criminally responsible.
Wiberg said the issue of criminal responsibility will not be part of the preliminary hearing, as it is only to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the case to trial, but will arise at trial.
Fay said his client is understandably apprehensive and nervous, which accounts for him smiling in the prisoner’s box during the brief hearing, as he has been under medical treatment and has been receiving anti-psychotic medication for several months since his arrest.
This was the first appearance by de Grood since he was found fit to stand trial. Fay said at that time that being found fit to stand trial only meant his client could understand the process and instruct counsel, but he could still be mentally ill.
Being found not criminally responsible is a finding separate from a guilty or not guilty verdict.