Jayme Pasieka suffers from a serious mental illness, likely schizophrenia, but whether he could still form the intent to kill two people and injure four others at a Loblaws warehouse was the subject of questioning in court on Tuesday.
Forensic psychiatrist Roger Brown was called as a court witness after the Crown closed its case in Pasieka’s first-degree murder trial. Brown has assessed Pasieka, 32, several times since he was arrested in February 2014 following a stabbing rampage at the warehouse.
Brown said that Pasieka suffers from a “major mental illness,” and that many of the symptoms are consistent with schizophrenia. At various times, Pasieka has reported hearing voices. Many of his behaviours are “unusual,” including being socially isolated and wearing his hair in a bizarre, criss-crossed pattern at the top of his head.
Brown referred to a police report in which neighbours said that before the stabbings at Loblaws, they heard Pasieka inside his apartment yelling words such as “kill” or “die,” and having an “evil laugh.” The sounds were so disconcerting that the neighbours complained to the building manager.
Despite Pakieka’s mental illness, and his inability to grasp the gravity of his legal situation, Brown said he found he met the legal standard of being fit to stand trial. Psychiatrists assess that by determining if an accused person understands court proceedings, can testify, and can communicate with a lawyer.
Defence lawyer Peter Royal noted that Pasieka has been a patient at Alberta Hospital for more than a year and that he has been certified under the province’s Mental Health Act repeatedly since that time.
But Crown prosecutor Kimberly Goddard noted that at the time of the attacks in 2014, Pasieka was working a full-time job. She asked Brown if someone who is “certified” would typically be able to work. Brown said it would be “possible but not probable.”
She also noted that in his interview with police immediately following his arrest, he did not appear to show any signs of hallucinations or delusions.
No apparent motive
Brown said he could never determine a clear motive for why Pasieka went to work on Feb. 28, 2014, and attacked colleagues in a series of stabbings. He didn’t appear to target any particular person and his answers showed “vagueness.”
Goddard asked if that could indicate Pasieka was being evasive.
“It could certainly be interpreted as evasiveness,” Brown said.
Goddard suggested that schizophrenia does not “automatically lead to a lack of criminal responsibility” and that it is “not necessarily enough to bring into question the ability to plan and deliberate.”
Brown agreed. He said Pasieka was capable of free well and capable of making choices.
At one point, Pasieka told the doctor he wanted to draw attention to himself, so he could get arrested and get “help.”
Goddard suggested that if that was Pasieka’s plan, it was ultimately successful.
“So maybe it wasn’t such a crazy plan after all,” she said.
Attacks came out of nowhere
Court has previously heard that Pasieka went to a military supply store before going to work that day to buy two knives. He got to work, punched in on the clock, collected equipment for his shift. Then he attacked his colleagues in the long, dark aisles of the warehouse.
One colleague testified that Pasieka seemed to come out of nowhere. Another colleague said Pasieka was saying he “hated us” while he carried out the attacks.
Fitzroy Harris and Thierno Bah both died in the attacks. Four other men were seriously injured.