Psychiatrist says Turcotte aware he was hurting his son
SAINT-JÉRÔME After he plunged a knife into his son’s chest for the first time, Guy Turcotte knew he was hurting the boy but was unable to control himself, an expert witness for his defence said Friday.
Psychiatrist Dominique Bourget, on her third consecutive day of testimony, was again cross-examined at Turcotte’s first-degree murder trial by Crown prosecutor René Verret.
Turcotte, a former cardiologist, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the February 2009 slayings of Olivier, 5, and Anne-Sophie, 3, the two of whom he stabbed a total of 46 times.
The 43-year-old has admitted to causing their deaths, but his lawyers are arguing he should be found not criminally responsible by way of mental disorder.
The Crown contends Turcotte is guilty of premeditated murder, however, Bourget says Turcotte’s brain was profoundly sick and he was unable to stop himself from killing his children.
Verret read Turcotte’s prior testimony back to Bourget, where the accused said: “I realize I am hurting (Olivier). I start panicking. I stab him more times.”
“That means he knew what he was doing?” Verret asked the witness.
“I think he was not able to control his actions,” Bourget responded. “He was unable to stop. He was losing control. He was not able to act differently.”
Bourget had previously testified that Turcotte’s brain was “profoundly sick.”
Verret continued questioning Bourget, saying the ex-doctor worked at a hospital before killing his kids, surrounded by health care professionals and none of them assumed anything was wrong with him.
The prosecutor also tried to discredit Turcotte’s claim that his mental instability was due in part to him discovering his spouse had been cheating on him.
Verret said thousands of couples in Quebec split every year don’t react by killing people.
Bourget told the 11-member jury the difference with Turcotte was that he had a “certain fragility” that persisted over time.
Verret’s cross-examination of Bourget continues Monday.