The Crown’s expert psychiatrist reasserted Monday that anger, and not psychosis, fuelled the actions of Richard Henry Bain, the man charged in the fatal shooting on the night of the 2012 Quebec election.
Joel Watts concluded his testimony at the first-degree murder trial.
READ MORE: Crown psychiatrist takes the stand in Richard Henry Bain trial
Bain has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including attempted murder and arson-related counts.
He is claiming he’s not criminally responsible by way of mental disorder.
READ MORE: Crown prosecutor suggests accused election night shooter faking mental illness
The defence tried to raise doubts about the anger hypothesis in its final attempt at cross-examination.
Watts conceded it was hard to gauge the level of rage in Bain on Sept. 4, 2012, but believes underlying frustration and anger had existed in the accused for some time when he allegedly opened fire outside the Metropolis nightclub as the Parti Québécois (PQ) victory rally took place inside.
READ MORE: Richard Henry Bain claims anti-depressants fuelled actions during election-night shooting
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The expert said the lack of visible intense raging in Bain on surveillance and police video footage taken before and after the shooting didn’t change his opinion.
“Anger that can lead people to act in violent ways can also be anger that can be kept in themselves,” Watts told the jury.
The 14 jurors have spent the bulk of the last few weeks hearing from forensic psychiatrists who disagree on Bain’s mental state the night of the shooting.
Defence expert Marie-Frédérique Allard testified Bain had an undiagnosed bipolar disorder and that an overdose of the anti-depressant Cymbalta triggered a manic and psychotic episode.
The Crown’s Watts concluded after assessing Bain that he was angry with Quebec separatists and was not delusional.
Watts said Bain was able to appreciate both the nature and quality of the acts for which he stands accused.
READ MORE: Doctor says Richard Henry Bain didn’t hold bizarre, psychotic religious or political ideas
Lighting technician Denis Blanchette was killed and fellow stagehand David Courage seriously injured after they were both struck by the same bullet outside the Metropolis as then-PQ leader Pauline Marois was delivering her victory speech.
As for the alleged overdose, Watts noted a toxicology report referred to in court suggested there wasn’t one.
READ MORE: Mixing meds made alleged Quebec election shooter a ticking time bomb, says expert
The trial marked Day 30 on Monday.
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