De Grood’s psychiatric evaluation may have publication ban
Defence fear release of assessment could jeopardize jury opinion
Dayla Brown
News Editor
According to an article released by Global Calgary, Matthew de Grood’s psychiatric evaluation results could be banned from publication.
De Grood is accused of five counts of first-degree murder. He is charged for the murders of Zackariah Rathwell, 21, Jordan Segura, 22, Josh Hunter, 23, Kaitlin Perras, 23 and Lawrence Hong, 27.
De Grood is alleged to have stabbed the five students at a party on University of Calgary’s Bermuda Shorts Day, a tradition celebrating the end of classes on April 15 earlier this year.
According to the article, both the Crown and the defence are requesting that the information be withheld from the public, fearing that the information could cause prejudice in the jury before the trial.
In another article released by The Calgary Sun, in June, de Grood was ordered a psychiatric evaluation from the Crown to determine if he could not be held criminally responsible for the murders due to mental illness.
De Grood appeared in court briefly via television screen. He did not address the court. According to the article, the court was filled with family and friends of the victims.
Crown prosecutor, Neil Weiberg, said that the results of the assessment won’t completely be able to tell whether de Grood can be charged or not. In the article, he said, “This is a witness statement, it’s not a determination, the determination is made by the jury.”
De Grood is expected to be back in court on March 2, 2015 where he’ll undergo a two-week long preliminary hearing to see whether he can be criminally charged or not.