Defence sums up in Kachkar case

Three highly respected forensic psychiatrists have concluded that Richard Kachkar was psychotic and not criminally responsible when he stole a snowplow and killed Toronto police Sgt. Ryan Russell, his lawyer says.

“This case is a tragedy, not a murder,” defence lawyer Bob Richardson told Kachkar’s murder trial in his final submissions Thursday.

Dr. Philip Klassen, Dr. John Bradford and Dr. Lisa Ramshaw — the only forensic psychiatrists to do a full assessment — all agree “Mr. Kachkar was not a well man,” Richardson told the Ontario Superior Court jury.

They diagnosed him as either having a psychotic disorder “not otherwise specified,” or as suffering from some form of schizophrenia, Richardson said.

Their expert opinion is not contradicted, Richardson said.

The Crown called five psychiatrists in reply, but all agreed they were not able to determine Kachkar’s state of mind at the time he took the snowplow on the two-hour rampage and hit Russell, Richardson argued.

Both Crown and defence agree Kachkar, 46, on trial for first-degree murder and dangerous driving, killed Russell, 35, on Jan. 12, 2011. They disagree on whether his mental illness made him incapable of appreciating what he was doing was wrong.

Richardson painted a picture of a married father of two who deteriorated dramatically in the years before he went on his snowplow rampage. He was unemployed, estranged from his wife and family, and living in shelters.

The Crown is to make its final submissions Friday.