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Kelowna  

No jail time for killing mom

As the murder trial of Conor Grossmith came to a close after five days of testimony, everyone was in agreement. The man accused of second-degree murder in the death of his mother has been found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.

Justice Alison Beames rendered her decision Friday after brief closing submissions from Crown Counsel Frank Dubenski and Grossmith's lawyer Joe Gordon. Both men agreed that the accused's mental state factored into the death of Kathleen Gilchrist, and although Grossmith was found to be extremely intoxicated, it was his bi-polar disorder that was at the root of his vicious attack on Sept. 13, 2012.

Kathleen Gilchrist was hit multiple times in the head with a claw hammer while she lay in bed, and never regained consciousness, dying in hospital nine days later.

The court heard testimony from three psychiatrists who have evaluated Grossmith. Each told the court, in some form or another, that Conor suffered from a mental disorder that was only exacerbated by the yearly "cycling up" of his manic moods that typically ramped up in September.

This mental disorder had been chronicled since at least 2009, when a previous incident involving Conor included both cocaine and marijuana.

The court heard that self-medication with alcohol or drugs is a common occurrence among those suffering from these types of illnesses and that Conor typically drank excessive amounts during times he would drink alcohol.

Conor’s blood alcohol level was between four and five times the legal limit when he bludgeoned his mother to death. He has admitted to the killing, but following his arrest later than night, showed erratic behavior at the Kelowna RCMP detachment. He paced around his cell, intentionally banged his head against the wall, and even began licking the blood off his fingers.

When asked about the attack, he showed little emotion and no recollection of the incident or why he did it.

In the courts decision, Beames agreed that Grossmith suffered from a major mental disorder or a disease of the brain. And that this ailment was present at the time and a major contributing factor in the attack on his mother.

She also found that he was incapable of knowing the act of killing his mother was wrong, and although the attack was intensified by the amount of alcohol in his system, Beames decided that it wouldn’t have happened if not for his illness.

Throughout the course of the five-day trial Grossmith showed little emotion, and provided no reaction upon learning of his sentence.

Beames then spoke directly to Conor and told him it was fortunate he still had the love and support of his family, and then wished him the best of luck in controlling and managing his illness.

Outside the courtroom Conor’s father, Harry, read a statement that in part contained the following:

“Kate Gilchrist, my wife and my children’s mother, anchored our lives with love, compassion and wisdom. My family, extended family, and her many friends feel her absence deeply.

How does one summarize the pain and sorrow my family, including my son, have experienced? How does one encapsulate this loss in a rational way? I can’t, so I won’t.

My family is satisfied with the verdict the court has rendered; it is my fervent hope, that with appropriate counseling and time, my son will find his way to lead a productive and useful life.”

Grossmith is expected to be sent to a psychiatric facility in the Lower Mainland.



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