Lawyers for a mentally ill man who fatally stabbed five young people at a Calgary house party are appealing a decision denying their client some privileges.
A provincial mental health review board ruled last September that Matthew de Grood was making progress as a patient at Alberta Hospital Edmonton, but could not go to a group home in the next year.
Matthew de Grood on stretcher.
Global News
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Matthew de Grood, who killed 5 while delusional in Calgary is making progress: psychiatrist
Lawyer Allan Fay told three Court of Appeal judges this morning that the board failed to properly consider the evidence and dwelled on what-ifs.
Fay says board members were concerned his client, who has schizophrenia, might stop taking his medication even though there is no evidence he would do that.
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Alberta justice minister pushes for changes after Matthew de Grood allowed more freedom
De Grood was found not criminally responsible for the 2014 killings of Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaitlin Perras, Josh Hunter and Lawrence Hong, because he had delusions at the time.
The Appeal Court reserved its decision.
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Notable Canadian cases where an accused was found not criminally responsible