Jurors in a St-Jerome, Quebec courtroom decided Dr. Guy Turcotte, a cardiologist from the Montreal area, was not criminally responsible due to his mental state when he killed this two children, reports Canada’s NationalPost.
The 11-member jury’s decision on July 5 came after five days of deliberations, and was the least punitive of four possible verdicts: “not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder” for the murder Turcotte, 39, confessed to committing.
The doctor’s defense attorneys, brothers Pierre and Guy Poupart, effectively convinced jurors that their client was suffering from sudden, upsetting changes in his life when he stabbed his daughter, Anne-Sophie (3), 19 times, and son, Olivier (5), 27 times.
The children’s mother, Isabelle Gaston, said, “I’m in shock. I didn’t expect this at all. … I’m disappointed for Anne-Sophie and Olivier and for all children that could be in danger.” Gaston, who does not intend to pursue an appeal, added, “Even if it had been first-degree murder, I wouldn’t have been satisfied because I’ll never get my children back.”
Turcotte will be remain behind bars, where he has been since his arrest after the killings, until a special psychiatric panel meets with him and determines whether he should spend time at the Philippe Pinel Institute or be released.
When the verdict was read by Superior Court Justice Marc David, approximately half of the spectators in the courtroom let out a sigh of relief and half sat in stunned shock. Justice David assured the jurors they could be proud of their work, regardless of the public reaction.. “There isn’t another group of 11 people, 11 lawyers, 11 jury members, 11 journalists or 11 members of the public who attended this trial every day. This intimate knowledge of the evidence gave you the ability to render justice.”
Read more at NationalPost.com or CTVNews.
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