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Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Nearly three years after he deliberately ran down pedestrians on Toronto’s busy Yonge Street, killing 10 people and injuring many others, a 28-year-old man has been convicted of carrying out the deadliest mass killing in the city’s history.
After a seven-week trial held virtually last fall as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a judge on Wednesday found Alek Minassian guilty on 10 charges of first-degree murder and 16 of attempted murder.
A man who used a van to kill 10 pedestrians in Canada is found guilty in a case that has drawn attention to an online world of sexual loneliness, rage and misogyny.
Published Wednesday, March 3, 2021 5:02PM EST TORONTO The judge who found Alek Minassian guilty of murder and attempted murder in the Toronto van attack set Canadian precedent Wednesday by considering autism a mental disorder under the Criminal Code. Justice Anne Molloy ruled that autism spectrum disorder did not leave the 28-year-old not criminally responsible for killing 10 people and injuring 16 others, but her decision to consider that possibility means the argument could be made in future cases. Some legal experts expressed concern about the implications of Molloy s decision, while members of the autism community said it would further stigmatize those living with the condition.
Court’s Zoom era may be here to stay
by Adrian Ghobrial and News Staff
Posted Mar 4, 2021 2:54 pm EDT
Last Updated Mar 4, 2021 at 3:02 pm EDT
A sketch of the van attack trial being held over Zoom. Sketch by Pam Davies
The pandemic has put a stop to courtrooms packed with lawyers, media, victims and the public, waiting for the judge to issue a verdict in a high-profile case, but COVID-19 has ushered in a new era in Canadian justice – trial over video call – and some legal experts believe it could change the system for the better.
“Zoom and trials and how we’re accomplishing that the system will never go back,” predicted Kim Schofield, a criminal defence lawyer.
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CHRIS HELGREN/Reuters
Should I refer to the person who killed 10 people and injured 16 more in a 2018 van attack in Toronto by his given name? Or should I follow the recommendation of the judge in the case, Justice Anne Molloy, and just call him John Doe?
The journalist in me, who argues for transparency and openness at all times, wants to call him by his real name. But the other me, who seeks to prevent further violence – particularly violence against women – wants to deprive him of notoriety. Notoriety is the oxygen that fuels mass killers. They write about it in their manifestos. They brag about being inspired by one another.