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Suspect in Quebec City sword attack will undergo psychiatric evaluation

Nov 20, 2020 | 10:26 AM

QUEBEC — The 24-year-old man accused of first-degree murder in the Quebec City Halloween night sword attack will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Carl Girouard’s lawyer, Benoit Labrecque, told Quebec court Judge Sarah-Julie Chicoine today the report on his client’s mental health should be ready when the case returns to court Jan. 26.

Girouard will remain detained until then.

Prosecutor Francois Godin told the court about 90 per cent of the evidence against Girouard has been disclosed to the defence.

Girouard is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder after a man dressed in a medieval costume and wielding a Japanese-style sword went on a rampage Oct. 31 in Quebec City’s historic district. 

The people killed were Francois Duchesne, 56, a museum employee, and Suzanne Clermont, 61, a hairdresser, and the four surviving victims whose identities are public are Remy Belanger de Beauport, Gilberto Porras, Lisa Mahmoud and Pierre Lagrevol.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2020.

The Canadian Press