By Canadian Press

Evidence complete in Quebec Halloween murders trial, final arguments on Wednesday

May 9, 2022 | 1:33 PM

QUEBEC — The presentation of evidence is complete at the trial of the man accused of stalking the streets of Old Quebec on Halloween 2020 and stabbing to death two people and injuring five others.

Final arguments will begin Wednesday at the Quebec City courthouse, beginning with the lawyer for Carl Girouard, who is facing two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Twenty-six-year-old Girouard is accused of using a Japanese-style sword called a katana, with a 76.9-centimetre blade, to stab to death François Duchesne, 56, and Suzanne Clermont, 61, on Oct. 31, 2020, and injure five others.

He has admitted to the attacks but maintains he was not criminally responsible because he suffered from a mental disorder.

A psychiatrist testifying for the defence has said that on the night of the killings, the accused was schizophrenic, suffering from delusions and in a state of psychosis.

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The Crown, meanwhile, has argued that Girouard’s acts were premeditated, and a psychiatrist for the prosecution has said the accused suffered from a personality disorder and was on a “narcissistic quest” to express his resentment toward society.

Defence lawyer Pierre Gagnon completed on Monday his lengthy cross-examination of Crown expert Dr. Sylvain Faucher, who said Girouard knew right from wrong the night of the killings.

Justice Richard Grenier told the 11-person jury he would issue his directives over two days and sequester them next Monday, but he said he would change the schedule if they preferred a different plan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2022.

The Canadian Press