Laval daycare bus attack driver deemed fit to stand trial after psych evaluation

The man who faces nine charges in connection with the Laval daycare bus attack that killed two young children, and injured six other children, has been deemed fit to stand trial – after a psychiatric evaluation was conducted.

“We got the report back regarding aptitude to receive his trial and basically he is going to be apt to receive his trial,” said his lawyer, Julien Lespérance Hudon.

Pierre Ny St-Amand faces two counts of first-degree murder charges, and one attempted murder charge for every person who was in the building at the time he drove his Société de transport de Laval (STL) bus into the Garderie Éducative Ste-Rose on Feb. 8. The 51-year-old also faces charges of aggravated assault.

During his last court appearance on Feb. 17 the judge ordered a psychological evaluation be done at the Philippe-Pinel Institute within five days to see if St-Amand is fit to stand trial. The results of that evaluation were revealed on Friday.

“This man is able to stand trial, he is able to understand what is going on in the court process, so he is able to understand all of the items in his file and also the procedures,” said Crown prosecutor, Karine Dalphond.

“He understands the strategy that his defense is going to use, they understand what he’s accused of and he understand the consequences and he understands where he is,” says criminal defence lawyer, Kwadwo Yeboah.

In court on Friday, St-Amand was said to seem less confused than on Feb. 17, he came in and looked at the people in the room – compared to how he seemed the first time.

But his defence asked he be evaluated to see if he can be held criminally responsible for his actions at Garderie Éducative de Sainte-Rose.

“Because we have a reasonable motive to want more information regarding what happened on that morning,” said Lespérance Hudon.

“It’s to know if at the moment when the event happened was he in his right state of mind, Could he tell right from wrong at that moment? And it has to be at that precise moment,” says Yeboah. “Was he in his right state of mind? Could you tell right from wrong if this determined that he couldn’t, and then he will be deemed not responsible for his crime.”

RELATED
Judge orders psych evaluation for bus driver charged in Laval daycare tragedy
Witnesses describe how the Laval daycare bus crash unfolded
‘Our little shooting star forever’: Parents mourn daughter killed in Laval daycare bus crash
Funeral held for 4-year-old boy killed in Laval daycare bus crash last week

His lawyer had described his client on Feb. 17 as unstable with varying levels of communication from day-to-day, which he said called into question his ability to stand trial.

“Yesterday, I had a meeting with him that lasted about an hour and a half, and at that moment I judged … he was fit to stand trial,” Lespérance Hudon told the judge on Feb.17. “This morning, as you see, I’m not able to enter into contact with him and to get answers from him.”

Pierre Ny St-Amand was transferred to the Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel de Montréal for evaluation.

The defence now needs to submit an evaluation for criminal responsibility, in the next 30 days. St-Amand will return to Pinel for this and remain there.

On the day of the bus attack, St-Amand was charged late that same afternoon. He had appeared via video from his hospital bed at Sacré-Coeur. During that hearing, the police officer in the room with St-Amand said the accused hit him because “he was mad” – adding “he is no longer cooperating.”

The judge had ordered the accused be in court – in person – for his hearing on Feb. 17 and Feb. 24.

On the scene of the crash, witnesses said the suspect removed all his clothes and was yelling. A few citizens worked to subdue the man until police arrived. They also helped officers get St-Amand into the police cruiser as they had difficulties with the suspect.

He’ll be back in court March 28, and it’s possible more expertise or evaluations will be requested at that time.

“When I get back the report, I’m going to sit down with the Crown and talk about the conclusion and what assessment can we make with that,” said Lespérance Hudon.

With files from The Canadian Press