MONTREAL – Former cardiologist Guy Turcotte’s release a mere 18 months after killing his two young children was based on the delicate balance between the danger of release someone who may pose a threat and the fair treatment of offenders with mental health issues, a new report shows.
Documents released Wednesday showed several dozen points as to why Turcotte was released from the Pinel Institute after he was found not criminally responsible in July 2011 in the deaths of his children.
The documents outline his behavior beginning from when Turcotte first entered Pinel to when he was released in December 2011.
Turcotte was first evaluated for release in June of 2012, but at that time was only given day passes. Six months later, a second evaluation revealed a man who, in their eyes:
- was no longer taking medication
- was changed in tone and attitude
- had begun seeing a psychotherapist, despite being reticent, and would continue receiving treatment
- had respected all the rules and regulation imposed on him with regards to his day passes he had been allowed in June
- had adequate family support
These are among many points made by the commission who evaluated Turcotte. It felt Turcotte no longer needed to be in the institution to continue with his therapy, and felt their new conditions would be sufficient.
Those condition include living in an approved area, continuing with an approved treatment plan and staying away from Isabelle Gaston -- his ex-partner, and mother of the children he killed.
