In 2014, Matthew de Grood fatally stabbed five people at a Calgary house party. He was originally charged with five counts of first-degree murder but was found not criminally responsible in 2016 after a two-week trial. At the time, the judge ruled that de Grood suffering from schizophrenic symptoms at the time of the attack, believing there was an impending war, and that he was not capable of understanding that what he was doing was wrong.
He is now being transferred to a Edmonton hospital where he is to be slowly reintegrated into society, and may be allowed to live in a halfway house.
According to CBC, “The new freedoms were approved by the Alberta Review Board, which held an annual hearing in September when members of de Grood’s treatment team testified about his progress and risk to the community.
“In its decision, the board ordered that de Grood — who has been described as a “model patient” — be transferred to Edmonton in order to ease his reintegration into the community because of the “toxic” nature of what he would likely experience in Calgary.”
Critics of his release have claimed that de Grood is only getting out so soon because his father is a police officer, and say that there is no way, given the nature of his crimes, that he has been rehabilitated in such a short time.
“Clearly the Alberta Review Board carefully considered my client’s progress in his treatment and how far he’s come and were satisfied that these recommendations would not in any way jeopardize public safety,” said de Grood’s lawyer Allan Fay.
For obvious reasons, Edmonton, rather than Calgary, has been chosen for de Grood to be reintegrated and eventually released.
“You don’t want to have a situation where members of the victims’ families are bumping into him when he’s on a community outing,” said forensic psychologist Dr. Patrick Baillie. “That would be particularly distressing for them, and probably for Matthew as well.”
The victim’s families are highly concerned over the release of de Grood, and wrote a joint statement condemning the decision. However, other family members aren’t surprised given his sentencing.
“We strongly defy anyone that suggests this risk is manageable or acceptable,” wrote the families last month in a joint statement. “The absolute evil and heinous nature of the crime he committed can not be overstated and the prospect of this person being re-integrated into our community is beyond comprehension.”
“The recommendations from the treatment team are showing you the acceleration that’s occurring within this process for a guy that killed five people,” said Gregg Perras, a father one of the victims.
“It just seems unfathomable to us.”
Want to help us grow? Here's what you can do!
Alberta will be one of the coldest places on earth this weekend: Weather Network
It may be early November but for parts of Canada, it already feels like winter.
For those in the west, its about to get much colder.
According to the Weather Network, Alberta will be one of the coldest places on earth this coming weekend, reaching -30 C with the wind chill. This will make Alberta colder than the North Pole.
“Arctic air is forecast to barrel down from the North Pole and will settle east of the Rocky Mountains,” reports The Weather Network. On Saturday evening, temperatures will begin to plummet and by Monday morning, they are expected to hit -30 C.
With the cold, come snow, 20 to 40 centimetres of it to be precise will fall on northwest Alberta Friday and early Saturday.
As a result of the oncoming cold, Environment Canada issued winter storm and snowfall warnings multiple parts of the province.
Want to help us grow? Here's what you can do!
Man arrested for taking kid hostage at CBSA
A man is facing charges after taking a kid hostage at the Canada Border Services Agency HQ in Edmonton.
On Friday, police were called to the office. They received a report that a man had assaulted a child.
The man was angry and, according to CTV News, made demands to the office staff.
“He doesn’t want to go outside,” said the boy’s mother Siska Mbaisa. “He’s scared of especially men.”
“He doesn’t want to sleep.”
Police received reports that the 27-year old man grabbed the child and threatened him with a sharp object. He has since been charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats and hostage-taking.
The CBSA said that nobody was injured.
The identity of the perpetrator is undisclosed at this time.
Want to help us grow? Here's what you can do!
Winnipeg toddler stabbed while sleeping will be taken off life support
The family of Hunter Haze Smith Straight, 3, says that the injuries inflicted upon their child has left the toddler brain dead and that he is to be taken off life support Friday.
The young boy was brutally assaulted earlier this week by his mother’s boyfriend, Daniel Jensen, who stabbed the child while he was sleeping, posing the child afterwards to avoid immediate suspicion.
He was later discovered by family and rushed to hospital where he was stabilized. However, the family has announced that an MRI has shown that the toddler has been left with severe brain damage. The family has decided to take him off life support.
A vigil is now set for 1:30 p.m. Friday outside the Children’s Hospital near Sherbrook Avenue, Winnipeg.
Investigators allege that Jensen was seen with the boy’s mother, Clarise Smith, at a bar. Jensen had been previously ordered to by courts to stay away from Smith. He allegedly assaulted the mother, before driving to the home where Hunter was sleeping and assaulting him multiple times.
Police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray said charges against Jensen may be changed if Hunter dies.
“Certainly if an individual passes away as the result of an assault, we will look at upgrading charges,” he said. However, he could not comment about Hunter being taken off life support due to privacy laws.
“This incident has been incredibly tough for all levels of emergency personnel,” said Murray.
“It’s one that will remain with officers for a very long time.”
Want to help us grow? Here's what you can do!
Conservative Tim Uppal defeats Amarjeet Sohi in Edmonton Mill Woods riding
Conservative candidate Tim Uppal has defeated Liberal candidate and Environment Minister, in the Edmonton Mill Woods riding.
Uppal narrowly lost to Sohi by just 79 votes in 2015, having been a popular politician and radio personality in the Edmonton area for decades.
Uppal was polling 21 percent higher than Sohi headed into the election. Sohi was considered by many to be a wildly unpopular candidate in the area.
Only 17 percent of Canadians polled believed that Sohi was doing a good job in his position as Environment Minister.
53 percent also stated that he was specifically doing a “bad job.”
Uppal, an active member of the Edmonton community, was an active member of the Sherwood Park Chamber of Commerce and the Sherwood Park Rotary Club, as well as a founding member of the Edmonton Police Community Advisory Council.
Social Media