Trial of the Halloween killer: Which expert to believe?

During the pleadings stage at the trial of the Halloween assailant, the defense tried to attack the Crown’s expert, psychiatrist Sylvain Faucher, whose conclusions were biased according to Mr.^and Pierre Gagnon.

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Having presented evidence to try to demonstrate Carl Girouard’s non-criminal responsibility on account of mental disorder, it was the defense lawyer who began his pleadings on Wednesday morning. From the outset, M.^and Gagnon emphasized the qualities of his expert, D^r Gilles Chamberland who, according to him, has greater credibility than the D^r Mow the Crown.

According to M^and Gagnon, The D.^r Faucher was “in representation” when he appeared before the jury. “He had to have an answer to everything,” said the lawyer. According to him the D^r Faucher was on a “mission” or in a “duel with the lawyer”.

Bias

M^and Gagnon notably mentioned the fact that the D^r Faucher had himself offered the expertise of neuropsychologist William Pothier, whose report reached him before meeting the accused. According to the conclusions of the neuropsychologist who tested Carl Girouard, the latter does not present any psychotic element in his way of thinking.

“It can only lead to bias,” suggested the lawyer. Especially since the conclusions of these two experts do not agree with what the DSM-5, the reference book in psychology, establishes as a criterion for validating narcissistic personality disorder.

“The alternative method” proposed by the two Crown experts to conclude to a narcissistic disorder rather than a psychotic delusion “is still under investigation, is not yet officially recognized by the DSM-5”, continued Mr.^and Gagnon.

Delirium

The hypothesis raised by his expert, Dr.^r Gilles Chamberland should therefore be privileged according to the defense. According to this expert, Girouard suffers from an autism spectrum disorder which allowed the arrival of schizophrenia in the accused during the transition to adulthood.

The accused was therefore in full psychotic delirium at the time of the events. “It was when the delirium was strong enough, powerful, that the events of October 31, 2020 materialized”, pleaded the lawyer.

The prosecutor M.^and François Godin will present his argument this afternoon.