Back at what is looking like the tail end of evidence at Alek Minassian's trial for the Toronto van attack. The defence has a couple more questions for Dr. Scott Woodside then he'll be done cross.
Defence says Woodside didn't make recordings of his interviews with Minassian, but did anyone else?

Woodside says no.
Now back to talking about the notes vs the report. Did you only make one page of notes for the last five hours of your interview with Minassian?

Woodside says defence has misunderstood if that's what he thinks.
Cross ended and the Crown is asking re-examination questions.
Woodside again says Minassian thought about a mass killing for years and where he began it is immaterial to whether he could appreciate the act and know it is wrong.
And that is it for the Crown. The Crown also has no further witnesses. Looks like the reports are being made exhibits...or at least the Crown ones are because the defence ones haven't been redacted yet. Sigh.
Closing arguments will begin Thursday, starting with the defence. (I think the Crown will go Friday).

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More from @alysanmati

14 Dec
Woodside said Minassian did say he wanted to kill more women, though he knew it would be random.

Defence: He saw the group of people at Yonge and Finch and started the attack.

Woodside: He thought 20 kills would be high.

Defence: We don't know when he was thinking that
Woodside said it was part of his account of what he was thinking at the time. Doesn't think he prompted it with a question.

Defence: He was in the second lane from the right. When the light turned green he "floored it" and drove into the people.
Defence: That was a split second decision. The decision to start in that place was a split second.

Woodside agrees.

Defence: Unlike the main plan which he had days, weeks, year to think about, the decision to actually drive on the sidewalk was made "almost instantly."
Read 13 tweets
14 Dec
Cross-examination of Dr. Scott Woodside, the Crown's forensic psychiatrist who doesn't think Alek Minassian is not criminally responsible, has begun. Starts with the defence asking about the process of the assessment.
Defence: It's a back and forth conversation?

Woodside: Within certain limits. He could answer as he chose, would ask follow up questions. Let him take the time to say what is important to him. There is structure and areas they need to cover but he has "fair bit of freedom"
Defence: You want build a rapport and get him to talk

Woodside: Within limits, needs to be clear I am not a friend or advocate. Clear from the start that what they tell me could be in the report to the judge.
Read 108 tweets
11 Dec
Crown prosecutor John Rinaldi is continuing his examination-in-chief of Dr. Scott Woodside today. Here is where you can follow along with a summary of Woodside's from yesterday: thestar.com/content/thesta…
We start off today with the judge suggesting the lawyers can make oral arguments on the facts and written submissions on the law (one way to save time). The trial was set to end on Dec. 18 but it's looking like we may go into the week of the 21st which creates staffing issues
She wants to hear oral arguments on the facts while the evidence is fresh in her mind which is why she doesn't want to put them off till later, but submissions on the law can come later.
Read 108 tweets
10 Dec
We are back up today, and still talking about the Vineland-3 test of adaptive function which we went through in excruciating detail yesterday. Crown expert, forensic psychologist Dr. Percy Wright, said the test doesn't provide an accurate view of Minassian's function as an adult
(This is Alek Minassian's trial for 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. He is seeking to be found not criminally responsible for running down pedestrians in a rented van on Yonge St. on April 23, 2018).
You can find all my past coverage here: thestar.com/search.html?q=…
Read 139 tweets
9 Dec
The defence has started cross-examination of Dr. Percy Wright, whose testimony yesterday is summarized here: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
The questions start with asking how Dr. Wright chooses what to include in the report. He says it's guided by his clinical understanding. Defence says it's at his discretion, sometimes uses quotes, sometimes summarizes. He agrees.
(This is a line of questioning inspired by the Crown repeatedly calling the defence expert selective and misleading for not including parts of what Minassian said in the interviews)
Read 84 tweets
8 Dec
Also happening now is the sentencing hearing for Richard Isaac. 13 people are giving victim impacts for Victoria Selby-Readman. Crown seeking a life with no parole for 18 years.

thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
"This crime is truly beyond anyone's comprehension. It is just unbelievable," said Selby-Readman's mother. The violent murder of her daughter has been soul-destroying for her.
In her sentencing submissions, Crown prosecutor Tania Monteiro referenced Isaac escalating pattern of violence against women.
Read 5 tweets

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