MONTREAL—Richard Henry Bain, accused of killing one man and setting fire to a theatre on election night in an attempt to assassinate newly-elected Premier Pauline Marois was in a Montreal court on Tuesday.
Still in the preliminary stage of his trial, Bain’s time in court has been punctuated by bizarre and erratic behavior. On Tuesday, Judge Jean-Paul Braun gave the accused shooter three weeks to hire a lawyer or decide to continue self-representation.
While he was previously represented by a legal-aid lawyer, the crown discontinued that representation when Bain’s finances were examined and he was found not to qualify. Bain said he earns just $36,000 a year and cannot afford a lawyer, so he will represent himself.
At his court appearances, Bain has frequently delivered political diatribes against the independence of Quebec and in favour of the separation of Montreal. He has also complained about documents in his case not having been translated into English, which has caused several delays.
Bain was no different on Tuesday, breaking into a rant and at one point referring to his case as “Maroisgate.”
The suspect is expected to enter a plea with regards to the 16 charges he faces, including the first-degree murder of Denis Blanchette, the attempted murder of another stagehand, and arson at the Metropolis theatre.
Following a psychiatric evaluation, Bain was found fit to stand trial. However, the psychiatrist's report offered no firm conclusion about his sanity.
