A mentally ill Nova Scotia man who killed his mother and two grandparents in 2015 has been granted unescorted day passes from a secure hospital, despite family pleas that he wasn’t ready for more freedom.
A team of mental-health professionals told the Criminal Code Review Board Tuesday that Codey Reginald Hennigar should be granted more freedoms, having shown no signs of violence or psychotic symptoms.
READ MORE: Family of Codey Hennigar feels ‘victimized’ after hearing delayed
Dr. Scott Theriault said the 33-year-old man was ready to be given more freedoms, having completed all programming at the East Coast Forensic Hospital and having been successful on escorted trips into the community.
The Crown argued his privileges should not be broadened.
Hennigar’s younger brother, Chandler, told the board he didn’t think it was right to give such privileges to someone who had killed his family only three years earlier.
“I still don’t believe that he’s ready,” said Chandler, as his older brother grabbed a tissue and wiped a tear from his eye. “Have you stopped to ask whether or not it’s right? … And what happens if you’re wrong and I’m right?”
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But Peter Lederman, the board’s chairman, said Hennigar must be given a chance to integrate back into the community, under the strict monitoring and control of the hospital.
WATCH: Codey Hennigar’s brother calls for changes to mental health care in wake of family tragedy
“The board’s primary responsibility is public safety. At the same time, we have to allow Mr. Hennigar to progress,” said Lederman. “That means a gradual ability to get back into the community.”
He was granted unescorted day passes, but Lederman stressed that Hennigar still has to work his way up to that level of freedom, likely by first having unescorted access to the hospital grounds.
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Eventually, the unescorted passes will allow Hennigar to leave the hospital for a minimum of three hours and a maximum of 12 hours. His conditions include staying away from Musquodoboit Valley – where many of his family lives – a weapons prohibition, and providing an itinerary and keeping in contact with hospital staff when he does leave.
The Crown said it would provide a long list of family and community members who do not wish to have contact with Hennigar.
READ MORE: Codey Hennigar found not responsible in murders of mother, grandparents
Dressed in green dress shirt and jeans, Hennigar sat quietly at the hearing, his hands folded on the table in front of him. The heavy-set man did not speak, but appeared to be paying attention.
Hennigar was arrested in January 2015 after the bodies of his mother and her parents were found following a fire inside a home in Wyses Corner.
He was tried on three counts of second-degree murder and was found not criminally responsible in January 2017 for the killings because of psychotic delusions caused by schizophrenia.
At the time, Crown attorney Mark Heerema said the victims died of a combination of blunt-force injuries to the head and smoke inhalation, and that at least one of the victims was still alive when the fire was set.
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