Mental illness only explanation for alleged Quebec election gunman’s acts: psychiatrist

Jul 29, 2016 | 9:00 AM

MONTREAL — The only explanation for accused Quebec election night shooter Richard Henry Bain’s actions outside the Parti Quebecois gathering in 2012 is mental illness, a forensic psychiatrist told his first-degree murder trial Friday.

Bain was never a violent man prior to the slaying for which he’s on trial, was generous to friends and family and respected the law, defence expert witness Marie-Frederique Allard told jurors.

But the accused was a “ticking time bomb,” due to an underlying bipolar disorder and a dangerous cocktail of anti-depressant medication he had been taking, which triggered a psychotic episode on election night 2012, she said.

“I don’t see any other explanation that is credible,” she said.

Bain, 65, has pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder and two arson-related charges in connection with the shooting outside the Metropolis nightclub in Montreal where PQ supporters were gathered.

Lighting technician Denis Blanchette was killed and fellow stagehand David Courage seriously injured after they were both struck by the same bullet outside the nightclub where then-PQ leader Pauline Marois was delivering her victory speech on Sept. 4, 2012.

The Crown says the crime was premeditated and politically motivated, while the defence argues Bain is not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.

On Friday, Allard said she didn’t think Bain knew his alleged actions were wrong.

“Psychosis destroys your contact with reality,” she said. “He knew that killing was wrong but he was unable to apply that concept because he felt he was on a mission from God.”

The Crown has argued Bain was upset because he couldn’t vote at a particular polling station on election day and that he was hateful towards the PQ and Quebec sovereigntists.

But Allard said she doesn’t think Bain’s alleged motive was political or unchecked anger.

“If he had a personality disorder and acted out of anger he would have gotten in trouble earlier in life,” she said. “It has been well established in court that he suffered his first manic episode in 2009 and he was never himself again.”

Allard said she had “no doubt” Bain was psychotic when she first met with him two weeks after the shooting and felt he was unfit to stand trial.

That 2012 psychiatric evaluation was entered into evidence on Friday.

Allard said Bain started taking anti-depressants in 2009 after a bout of depression and “never returned to his pre-2009 state of mind.”

“He started to spend a lot of money,” Allard said. “He took to religion, it took more and more space in his life. He became less prudent.”

Bain was taking Trazadone and Effexor, medication she said should not be taken without mood-stabilizers.

Moreover, Bain claims he started taking a third anti-depressant, called Cymbalta, against his doctor’s knowledge, and had stockpiled the drug.

“We tell our patients to never take those two drugs (Cymbalta and Effexor) at the same time,” she said. “That’s something you must never do.”

Bain claims he had taken up to 10 pills of Cymbalta the day of the shooting and had a vision from God to carry out a special mission.

The accused has repeatedly said he no longer remembers the events of that night.

That’s not uncommon given the part of the brain used to store memories doesn’t work properly for people who suffer from psychotic episodes, Allard said.

Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian Press