Minassian wanted to kill 100 people, but ‘satisfied’ with 10 deaths, court hears at van attack trial
Posted December 9, 2020 4:00 am.
Last Updated December 9, 2020 4:52 pm.
Warning: Details of the trial are graphic in nature, discretion is advised
A psychologist retained by the prosecution says the man who killed 10 pedestrians in Toronto’s van attack wanted to kill 100 people.
Dr. Percy Wright says Alek Minassian told him more than a year after the 2018 attack that he was satisfied with his “kill count” but had wanted to take more lives.
Minassian has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
The defence argues that the 28-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., should be held not criminally responsible for his actions due to autism spectrum disorder.
Minassian’s state of mind is the sole issue at trial as he has admitted to planning and carrying out the attack.
Wright has testified that Minassian had anger issues and knew right from wrong.
CityNews reporter Adrian Ghobrial is covering the trial, follow his tweets below:
RELATED: Alek Minassian understands others’ thoughts and feelings, psychologist testifies at van attack trial
On Tuesday, Wright testified that Minassian is capable of moral reasoning and understands other people’s thoughts and feelings.
Wright painted a starkly different picture of Minassian than an American psychiatrist who testified for the defence.
Dr. Alexander Westphal testified that 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.
After a days-long grilling by the Crown that at times left him flummoxed and frustrated, Westphal concluded Tuesday that his position remains the same: Minassian “didn’t fully understand the wrongfulness of his actions” because of ASD.
