Is suffering from mental illness a justified excuse to get away with murder?

[Savak]

This is a very famous case in Toronto 3 years ago where a very good looking 40 year old woman just randomly out of the blue stabbed a 28 year old woman at Shoppers Drug Mart in December 2015.

However this lady has suffered from mental illness and szchiphrenia which is what she was suffering from in 2015. I am personally outraged by the courts decision and cant even imagine what the victim's family must be feeling about this verdict.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rohinie-bisesar-shoppers-stabbing-verdict-1.4893553

 

[Michael Chopra]

Really bad verdict. No killing should be justified unless it is due to self-defense.

 

[thelandofthebravepeople]

You should not get away with it. Instead locked up and receive threatment.

 

[El Generico]

Just want to add that she is being sent to a secure mental health facility not being set free. Not defending that move but just putting it here cause the OP kind of makes it seem like she was acquitted.

 

[Savak]

Just want to add that she is being sent to a secure mental health facility not being set free. Not defending that move but just putting it here cause the OP kind of makes it seem like she was acquitted.

Am still not sure if this is the right verdict. What if they decide to release her from the mental facility and say she has gotten significantly better? What if she actually ends up killing someone inside that facility again?

Once you kill someone, it is a very serious issue. Have no idea why tax payers money should be burdened with taking care of her from here on out. If I was the victim's family member, I would be peeved as well

 

[PakLFC]

Yes most of the time it is an excuse. In Pak more common then a mental disorder is the excuse that the perpetrator was possessed by an evil spirit!

 

[El Generico]

Am still not sure if this is the right verdict. What if they decide to release her from the mental facility and say she has gotten significantly better? What if she actually ends up killing someone inside that facility again?

Once you kill someone, it is a very serious issue. Have no idea why tax payers money should be burdened with taking care of her from here on out. If I was the victim's family member, I would be peeved as well

I agree with you, I dont think this is the way to go either and this will probably be devastating for the family. I hope at least she serves a life sentence even if it is at a hospital.

Hope this does not turn out like the Greyhound bus case when a guy beheaded someone but only spend a few years in a captivity before being let out.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...s-passenger-sparks-criticism/article33992330/

 

[DeadBall]

Even though it is a tragic loss of life one cannot hold the mentally unstable or insane responsible. The way it all panned out shows that it was a moment of temporary dementia/schizophrenia and wasn't a crime of passion, without any motive and wasn't planned. Not to mention the history of mental instability.

The topic is quite misleading using words such as "justified excuse" as if this was intentional. Also the person in question did not get away with it but will be treated at a medical facility. She will be locked up, doesn't matter whether its the mental ward or prison.

We should not let emotions get into the way of judgement and I think the judge gave the right decision after reviewing all the evidence and medical or otherwise, expert testimonies by doctors, etc.

The person should be treated and not let be back into society until it is she is no longer a threat to anyone which will take a very long time if never. But just lusting for blood whilst blinded by emotion, mob justice mentality, etc should be something we should be something we should aspire to be above of. Let the judiciary system do it work.

 

[RickyG]

Not criminally responsible is not the same as being acquitted. I personally don't think that mental illness should absolve someone from criminal responsibility but in some cases I understand.

Schizophrenia is probably one of those things.

 

[DeadBall]

Yes most of the time it is an excuse. In Pak more common then a mental disorder is the excuse that the perpetrator was possessed by an evil spirit!

The country in question is Canada where an actual highly functioning law and judiciary system is in place and not some corrupt lawyers/judges selling the verdict to the highest bidder or some village panchayat in Pakistan.

 

[Savak]

Even though it is a tragic loss of life one cannot hold the mentally unstable or insane responsible. The way it all panned out shows that it was a moment of temporary dementia/schizophrenia and wasn't a crime of passion, without any motive and wasn't planned. Not to mention the history of mental instability.

The topic is quite misleading using words such as "justified excuse" as if this was intentional. Also the person in question did not get away with it but will be treated at a medical facility. She will be locked up, doesn't matter whether its the mental ward or prison.

We should not let emotions get into the way of judgement and I think the judge gave the right decision after reviewing all the evidence and medical or otherwise, expert testimonies by doctors, etc.

The person should be treated and not let be back into society until it is she is no longer a threat to anyone which will take a very long time if never. But just lusting for blood whilst blinded by emotion, mob justice mentality, etc should be something we should be something we should aspire to be above of. Let the judiciary system do it work.

I don't think she should be let back into society ever again. Cannot risk someone elses life.

 

[PakLFC]

The country in question is Canada where an actual highly functioning law and judiciary system is in place and not some corrupt lawyers/judges selling the verdict to the highest bidder or some village panchayat in Pakistan.

Even in developed countries the mental disorder excuse is common.

 

[Itachi]

Am still not sure if this is the right verdict. What if they decide to release her from the mental facility and say she has gotten significantly better? What if she actually ends up killing someone inside that facility again?

Once you kill someone, it is a very serious issue. Have no idea why tax payers money should be burdened with taking care of her from here on out. If I was the victim's family member, I would be peeved as well

Secured mental faculties aren't the mental rehabs. Its more like a jail where violent patients are put so that they don't put threats to the society and in mates while going through the treatment.

In Ukraine, they are put in straightjacket time to time. It is much strict than jails.