Mental disorder triggered attack

A steady stream of psychiatrists will be taking the stand this week in Conor Grossmith’s second-degree murder trial.

Photo: Castanet Staff

Testimony began Tuesday with Dr. Shabehram Lohrasbe telling the court that in his opinion, Conor suffered from a major mental disorder of psychotic proportions when he attacked his mother on Sept. 13, 2012.

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

“We don’t know exactly what went through his head,” said Lohrasbe.

“It’s likely he didn’t grasp the wrongfulness of his actions.”

He is of the opinion that Conor is not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder, and that disorder was the dominant element that triggered the assault.

Since his arrest on the night of the attack, Conor has been transferred to a number of holding facilities in the province and has spent time in the psychiatric wings of both Kamloops Regional Correctional Facility and the Surrey pretrial Centre.

If Justice Alison Beames finds him not criminally responsible, it’s anticipated that he will be taken to a forensic psychiatric hospital until doctors find him fit for society once again.

Grossmith is said to have been extremely drunk during the attack, with a level of intoxication of between four and five times the legal limit – but that is no longer a legal defence for a criminal act.

“One of the legal issues in the case is to what extent self-induced intoxication was a factor,” says Crown Counsel Frank Dubenski.

“The criminal law doesn’t excuse someone’s behavior when they commit personal violence, and they’re under an extreme amount of intoxication. So the judge is going to have to determine how to weigh that as she addresses the issue of his mental illness.”

The trial is scheduled for five days.