Quebec judge calls out 'shocking' state failure after man slays spouse in psychotic delirium
Louise Avon, brutally killed on March 31, 2022 in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts by her spouse in the throes of a crack-induced psychotic delirium, might still be alive if the state hadn't "failed miserably in its role of protecting the public."
That’s what Quebec Court Judge Sylvain Lépine said in his decision on Wednesday to sentence Pascal Arseneault to eight years in prison, after he admitted his guilt on a manslaughter charge.
The 50-year-old man and his wife had been together for 12 years at the time of the slaying, and owned a landscaping company.
DRINKING RELAPSE
Arseneault had relapsed into crack use during the pandemic, starting in spring 2021, after 12 years of abstinence, resulting in erratic and violent behaviour. Then, between October 14, 2021 and March 29, 2022, over a period of five and a half months, police officers were called to intervene no less than 13 times with the 50-year-old, who was hospitalized eight times during this period.
Lépine noted that "none of these police interventions led to the detention of Mr. Arseneault, despite the repeated offences committed."
'FRANKLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND SHOCKING'
The judge emphasized that "although police work is not always easy, it is frankly incomprehensible and even shocking that between October 14, 2021 and March 29, 2022, no less than 13 police interventions led to no concrete action to avoid the worst.
"Even more shocking, a few days before the homicide, on March 29, 2022, the accused was arrested at home in a delirious state and taken to hospital. He was released six hours later," continued the judge.
Two days later, on March 31, the man, again in a drug-induced delirium, stabbed his partner nine times, set fire to their home and then sat back and watched it burn down without calling emergency services. When emergency services arrived, he was incoherent, confused and claimed to be a ninja and that the victim was a robot. At the time, he was in possession of 16 grams of crack cocaine.
A LAMENTABLE FAILURE
By analyzing all these facts, Judge Lépine concluded that "the lack of coordination between police interactions and the health system meant that the state failed miserably in its role of protecting the public."
The judge went further, calling it a problem that affects society as a whole.
"The absence of a coherent mental health program and thoughtful police interventions threatens public safety,” he said.
His conclusion is unequivocal: “The accused should have been taken into care to avoid such a tragedy.”
Arseneault had been deemed fit to appear at an initial psychiatric assessment. A second assessment a few months later, aimed at establishing criminal responsibility, concluded that the accused had suffered from a “psychotic disorder induced by crack cocaine consumption” and that, at the time of the tragedy, “he was struggling with pervasive delusional convictions which led him to commit the acts of which he is accused.”
CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE
The psychiatrist, however, dismissed the idea of non-criminal responsibility by reason of mental disorder, since the accused's psychotic state "was induced by heavy crack consumption."
Arseneault had admitted consuming a large quantity of crack cocaine when he was apprehended by police. Such consumption being voluntary, its consequences cannot give rise to a defence of non-criminal responsibility.
As of Wednesday, Arseneault had served 639 days in pre-trial detention. This leaves six years and three months to serve on the eight-year sentence suggested jointly by the defence and the Crown following Arseneault's guilty plea.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.