THUNDER BAY – The killing of Robert Barbeau was driven by anger and not mental illness, a forensic psychiatrist testified.
The second-degree murder against David Wilson, charged in the June 2014 stabbing death of the 48-year-old Barbeau, continued into its second day at the Thunder Bay Courthouse Tuesday with testimony from two witnesses.
Dr. Mark Pearce is a forensic psychiatrist at the Ontario Shores Centre for Medical Sciences in southern Ontario, where Wilson was sent for two months between February and April 2015.
While under examination from Crown prosecutor Rob Kozak, Pearce told the court that even though Wilson does suffer from schizophrenia, it is his opinion that Wilson was criminally responsible for his actions when he fatally stabbed his neighbour in the parking lot of their McLaughlin Street apartment complex.
Pearce said it became apparent from his time examining Wilson that the two neighbours had a conflicted relationship with a number of grievances over the three years they knew each other.
He testified Wilson told him about an incident where he struck Barbeau in the face with a piece of scrap metal and another occasion when he kicked down the door of Barbeau’s apartment.
There was another incident when a tenant in the building observed Wilson engaged in sexual conduct with an inflatable doll, which was said to have caused him great embarrassment.
Wilson told doctors and other staff he believed that neighbour and Barbeau had informed the whole building about the incident, which led to mocking. That led to feelings of being an outcast among other tenants.
The relationship finally came to a head on the night of June 5 when they were both outside in the parking lot and Barbeau refused to provide Wilson with painkillers.
Wilson told Pearce he went up to his apartment, grabbed a fanny pack and hunting knife he had just bought days earlier, and went back outside. Wilson again asked for Barbeau for painkillers and when the victim replied “no” without turning around, Wilson grabbed the knife and stabbed him in the head.
Defence lawyer Neil McCartney has conceded Wilson’s actions caused the death of Barbeau but was not criminally responsible.
Criminal responsibility is determined by whether the accused was in a state of mind where they understood the physical consequences of their actions and whether they have the awareness that their actions were legally and morally wrong.
But during his review of Wilson’s interactions with police and staff at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s forensics unit, Pearce found many instances he labelled a “red flag” as to whether Wilson was truly suffering from psychotic symptoms at the time of the killing.
While delusions are one of the symptoms of psychosis, Pearce said Wilson claimed to have an unusual number of different delusions that made it difficult to determine which ones were his primary driving motivation.
Nearly 24 hours after the incident, Wilson was in custody at the Thunder Bay Police Service station in a holding cell and asked an officer for his psychotic medication.
When told they didn’t have it, Wilson replied “anything I say from here on out will be meaningless,” followed by a mumble that he would be “going for the insanity plea.”
He later commented that his “goose was cooked” when asked about making the insanity plea remark.
On Aug. 6, 2014 he told Thunder Bay hospital staff his “motivation was rage and anger for what happened in the past between (Barbeau) and I.”
On one occasion, when asked by Pearce about the intent of his actions, Wilson responded he meant to cause quick death to Barbeau and he knew it was wrong, adding even justified violence is wrong.
During his two months at Ontario Shores Wilson told different people on multiple occasions he had either been dishonest or omitted information when dealing with staff at the Thunder Bay forensics unit. He claimed at least one of his delusions was fabricated.
Earlier Tuesday the court heard from Thunder Bay Police Service Det. Rob Bonthron, who conducted a 90-minute interview with Wilson about 24 hours after the attack.
He described Wilson making a significant amount of incomprehensible and out of context remarks during the interview.
Pearce is scheduled to continue his testimony Wednesday morning, which is also expected to include cross-examinatiion from defence.
The defence is expected to call a different forensic psychiatrist to testify later in the trial.
None of the charges have been proven in court.
