Canada - Numerous pedestrians struck by van near Yonge and Finch, Toronto, Apr 2018 *guilty*

[dotr]

Nov 16 2020
Alek Minassian's father to testify as defence launches its case | Toronto Sun
''Accused mass murderer Alek Minassian is expected to launch his defence Monday and call his father to testify on his behalf after the Crown closes its case against him''.

''The judge-alone trial, being held over Zoom due to the pandemic, has heard that a defence psychiatrist is expected to testify that that while Minassian wasn’t psychotic and denied any symptoms of psychotic illness, such as hallucinations, “his autistic way of thinking was severely distorted in a way similar to psychosis.”

 

[JerseyGirl]

Alek Minassian's father testifies at Toronto van attack trial

 

[nuff]

Alek Minassian's father testifies at Toronto van attack trial

What I found striking about the father's testimony was that he seemed oblivious to the very real misery his son was experiencing in his life. (Please don't think I am excusing AM or accepting that an NCR defence could be valid, but there's no doubt in my mind he led a painful and lonely life from childhood on.) It also made me wonder about the family dynamics, as his father appeared to be speaking on behalf of his wife, saying "we" often. I don't think his testimony added anything useful to the defence's case.

 

[dotr]

The man behind the Yonge Street van attack
By Katherine Laidlaw | April 22, 2019
''When Alek Minassian was a kid, he dreamed of becoming a pilot. He wanted to reach out and touch the sky. But his parents doubted their son would ever achieve those heights. Minassian was different from other kids. He was quiet and sensitive, easily bothered and regularly bullied. He lived in a large two-storey house on Elmsley Drive in Richmond Hill with his parents and his older brother, Haig. His father, Vahe, had moved from Armenia to Canada and worked as a software developer for Rogers. His mom, Sona, was from Iran and had a job at Compugen, an IT company.''

''Sometimes, students would cajole him into approaching the girls in his grade, the way you’d egg on a child. When the girls laughed or turned away, Minassian would whimper and recoil, his arms curling into himself. “I don’t like girls,” he whispered over and over like a mantra. “I don’t know if he realized he was being bullied,” one former classmate recalls. Another says Minassian told him his behaviour was all an act for attention.''

 

[dotr]

MANDEL: Minassian told psychiatrist he was hoping to run down more young, attractive females | Toronto Sun
''So now there’s no doubt the Toronto van attack was a deliberate act of femicide — Alek Minassian wishes he ran over more young, attractive women on that horrific April day''.

“He recalled he drove into the crowd and he realized he was hitting random people,” said Dr. Rebecca Chauhan, a forensic psychiatrist who examined the killer five months after the Yonge St. attack.
But that in his mind, these are his words: (He was) ‘wishing for more female victims.’ And he talked about hoping that there would be more young, attractive females being hurt in particular.”

''Testifying for the defence at his judge-alone trial, Chauhan assessed Minassian in September 2018 at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, a month after he attempted suicide by drinking soap in jail.''

Did she think Minassian knew it was against the law to kill these people?

Chauhan didn’t hesitate for a moment.

“He absolutely knew it was against the law.”

 

[dotr]

Most living with autism aren't violent, psychiatrist testifies at Toronto's van attack trial - CityNews Toronto
Nov 26, 2020
''The defence argues the 28-year-old from Richmond Hill should be found not criminally responsible for his actions on April 23, 2018, due to ASD.

Dr. Bradford, who is the defence’s main forensic psychiatrist, said he took extensive notes after meeting with Minassian, and expressed concern that he was suicidal after he drank soap while in custody.

Despite those concerns, he added that he didn’t appear depressed and said: “I think it was clear very early on that he was not psychotic.”

He did note that Minassian engaged in ritualistic behaviours, arranging cups, washing his hands excessively and that he “smiled and talked to himself.” Factors he attributed to his ASD.''

''The court has previously seen notes from Bradford’s assessment where Minassian admitted that large parts of his initial police confession were fabricated, including his connection to the Incel (Involuntary Celibate) movement.

Bradford’s notes said that Minassian “denies being radicalized by the (Incel) movement” and say that he blamed the van attack on extreme anxiety — especially about starting a new job as a computer programmer.

“He maintains his motivation for his behaviour was worry about the future and not being able to hold down a job,” Bradford wrote. “Specifically failing because of the social situation and expectation at work.”

 

[JDG]

Umm, drinking soap isn't going to kill you, it'll simply 'clean out the pipes'. What kind of shrink thinks that's an attempt at suicide or a desire to commit suicide? MOO

Was Minassian lying when he was interviewed by the police or is he lying to the shrink?

I thought there was a lot of Incel 'stuff' on his computer going back a couple (at least) of years, so I think he had enough 'cell time', didnt like it and changed his story for the shrink. MOO

I believe that Dr. Bradford will be being paid for this opinion, handsomely, as are all 'expert witnesses'.

His team have 'bought' this opinion. IMO

 

[Jaanniss]

'Dr. John Bradford, who took the stand as a witness for the defence on Thursday morning, told the court that he met with Minassian on about 10 separate occasions during his 60-day stay at St. Joseph's Healthcare Centre, where Bradford works as a staff psychiatrist.'

 

[JDG]

'Dr. John Bradford, who took the stand as a witness for the defence on Thursday morning, told the court that he met with Minassian on about 10 separate occasions during his 60-day stay at St. Joseph's Healthcare Centre, where Bradford works as a staff psychiatrist.'

I thought, but could be wrong, that Dr. Bradford was from the USA.

Perhaps he used to work in Hamilton but isn't this the shrink who demanded that his interviews never be shown publicly?? If he was still working in Canada, he'd have been arrested for making such demands of the court.

Just checked out the link and it does say he works at St. Josephs' Healthcare in Hamilton, is a professor etc.

So who was the shrink who refused to participate if his videos were shown??

It was a Dr. Alexander Westphal, an American psychiatrist called onboard by Dr. Bradford, as Bradford didnt have a lot of experience with autism.

Sorry about this somewhat confusing post. Finally got his name right and everything!

 

[JDG]

Thanks for the video, it was very educational!
Thinking that AM thought he was smarter than the LE (who, imo. cleverly played along with that perception)
It would have been interesting but probably not as fruitful an interview, if they had sent in an attractive female LE, wondering if and how his responses would change if this was done!
speculation, imo.

Yes, that would have been quite interesting and have clarified a lot of these 'questions' about when/to whom he is/was lying and when.

It sure would have made an interesting tape, if we were allowed to view it.

 

[dotr]

May 19, 2015
‘Tough forensic guy’ John Bradford opens up about his PTSD
''BROCKVILLE, Ont. — Dr. John Bradford’s mental breakdown hit without warning less than half an hour after he watched Canadian Air Force colonel Russell Williams brutally assaulting two young women.

During his long and distinguished career as a doctor and teacher, the internationally renowned forensic psychiatrist had become skilled at emotionally detaching himself from all manner of horrendous images.''

 

[Jaanniss]

I thought, but could be wrong, that THIS Dr. Bradford was from the USA.

Perhaps he 'used to work' in Hamilton but isn't this the shrink who demanded that his interviews never be shown publicly?? If he was still working in Canada, he'd have been arrested for making such demands of the court.

Just checked out the link and it does say he works at St. Josephs' Healthcare in Hamilton, is a professor etc.

So who was the shrink who refused to participate if his videos were shown??

It was a Dr. Alexander Westphal, an American psychiatrist called onboard by Dr. Bradford, as Bradford didnt have a lot of experience with autism.

It was Dr Westpal ...I had to check though I think the court is expecting to hear from 5 psychiatrists ... thinking Dr Bradford spoke as a staff psychiatrist ... and it was an interesting perspective in this NCR trial.

 

[Jaanniss]

Star defence witness testifies at Toronto van attack trial ... expected to be the lone voice to testify that Alek Minassian should be found not criminally responsible ....
the court asks : Does autism lead to anyone committing any crime ever?
the psychiatrist responds : Absolutely not.

the court asks : Is there anything to suggest that persons with autism more likely to commit violent crime?
the psychiatrist responds : No, there isn't.

...

 

[dotr]

May i suggest they take a baseball bat and tap AM on the shins with it, to remind him that it is barely a fraction of the actual physical pain he inflicted on others. imo, speculation.
‘As abstract as killing people in a video game,’ doctor says of Alek Minassian’s mind
''TORONTO - A psychiatrist says the man who killed 10 people in Toronto’s van attack two years ago feels no emotion over what he did.

Dr. Alexander Westphal is telling a court that Alek Minassian describes the attack in a way similar to someone talking about killing characters in a video game.''

 

[JDG]

Someone needs to remind Dr. Westphal that a neurological impairment is totally different from a psychiatric impairment.

Two different 'systems' within the brain but that's where it ends.

Autistic people do not 'think' in a way 'similar to' psychotic people, that is nonsense, IMO.

I'm disgusted with this doctor. MOO

 

[Jaanniss]

Someone needs to remind Dr. Westphal that a neurological impairment is totally different from a psychiatric impairment.

Two different 'systems' within the brain but that's where it ends.

Autistic people do not 'think' in a way 'similar to' psychotic people, that is nonsense, IMO.

I'm disgusted with this doctor. MOO

Acting like a monkey is not being a monkey … similar to someone suffering from the hallucinations or delusions of psychosis.
‘While most accused people found NCR were suffering from psychosis, Minassian was not. But Westphal believes his autism caused such a severe loss of contact with reality that it’s similar to someone suffering from the hallucinations or delusions of psychosis.
“Autism alters the perception and understanding of the world enough to be something that is really, really important when you’re discussing culpability,” he said.’

I hope the court is mindful that ‘According to the autism expert, there’s no question Minassian has a “very highly developed” understanding that mass murder is against the law.’ and that it is also true … I am not an expert, my experience brings me to speculate … actions in the hands of psychosis do not necessarily have a highly developed understanding of the legality of their actions.

 

[JDG]

Dr. Westphal did not bother to learn about NCR requirements, as he has no legal training and felt he couldn't make any legal determinations. Wow, just wow!

Seems he may be waffling, he has never done an NCR report, is not familiar with Section 16 but has done some American 'not guilty by reason of insanity' cases.

Then, I hope the court totally ignores any and all of his testimony. MOO

 

[Jaanniss]

Dr. Westphal did not bother to learn about NCR requirements, as he has no legal training and felt he couldn't make any legal determinations. Wow, just wow!

Seems he may be waffling, he has never done an NCR report, is not familiar with Section 16 but has done some American 'not guilty by reason of insanity' cases.

Then, I hope the court totally ignores any and all of his testimony. MOO

Here are live updates from court proceedings.

what will the court do with knowing this ? .... ' Defence says Minassian told his parents he was looking forward to his trial because everyone will see he did nothing wrong. In another instance, he said he will be patted on the back

Westphal: This speaks to dissociation between what he's setting out to do and what he is doing.

 

[Jaanniss]

Crown in van attack trial says defence psychiatrist ignored evidence that didn't 'fit narrative'

'Callaghan said the only reason the court knows of any apparent discrepancies is because Judge Anne Molloy ordered Westphal’s recordings to be handed over to the prosecutors for them to view. Westphal objected to the videos being used in court.'

 

[JDG]

Toronto Sun has a great article about todays' (Thursday) cross examination of Dr. Westphal.

Even Menassian has stated that being in a dark, dirty cell and thinking of being there for many years is overwhelming. I'm paraphrasing but he's done some 'cell time' and does not like it. Ergo the NCR bid.

ETA: if someone can link the Toronto Sun article, I'd appreciate it very much. TIA