By Canadian Press

Psychiatrist to testify for sixth day at Toronto van attack trial

Dec 7, 2020 | 3:04 AM

TORONTO — A psychiatrist retained by the defence will testify for a sixth straight day at the trial for the man who killed 10 people while driving a van down a Toronto sidewalk.

Dr. Alexander Westphal has said Alek Minassian lacks empathy and does not understand the moral wrongfulness of killing 10 people, but said a finding of criminal responsibility is a legal matter rather than a psychiatric one.

Minassian has told Westphal he knew what he did was morally wrong, but the psychiatrist did not include that statement in his final report.

Minassian has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.

The defence argues he should be found not criminally responsible due to autism spectrum disorder. 

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Minassian has admitted to planning and carrying out the attack, which leaves his state of mind at the time the sole issue at trial. 

The prosecution will enter the third day of a tense cross-examination of Westphal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2020.

The Canadian Press