‘Ottawa’ Schizophrenia, Not Client, to Blame for Hammer Attack, Lawyer Says
A man who attacked a stranger with a hammer and partially blinded him is not criminally responsible because he was in the grip of a severe psychotic episode brought on by his schizophrenia, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Jeffrey Webber, 32, is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.
On Dec. 9, 2014, Nabute Ghebrehiwet was attacked from behind with a hammer in an unprovoked assault on Somerset near Bank Street. Several gashes to his head left Ghebrehiwet blind in his left eye and unable to work for eight months.
In his closing arguments, Webber’s lawyer Trevor Brown admits his client attacked Ghebrehiwet and like any victim he has the right to fully understand why he was singled out.
“[Ghebrehiwet] is an unfortunate victim of a very unfortunate disease that wreaks havoc on the human mind,” said Brown in his closing arguments Tuesday.
“Despite being tormented by auditory hallucinations, [Webber] tried to live as normal a life as he could.”
Accused found not criminally responsible 3 previous times
Since 2006, Webber had been found not criminally responsible three times, on separate criminal charges in Ottawa, Toronto and Kelowna, B.C.
Two of the charges were violent in nature.
Webber spent time at a psychiatric hospital in Penetenguishene before being moved in 2014 to the Royal in Ottawa.
Webber’s psychiatric team at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre decided he was well enough to re-integrate into the community, so he moved to an Ottawa group home with 24-hour supervision. He began school at Algonquin College.
Brown said by the late fall of 2014, Webber’s psychosis was getting worse.
In describing Webber’s schizophrenia, the lawyer said he struggled to differentiate between what was real in his mind and what wasn’t.
Accused heard ‘tormenting voices’
“He heard tormenting voices in his mind of angels and demons and a belief that people close to him were being harmed,” said Brown. “Events described as disturbances are euphemisms for frightening, real and powerful hallucinations he experienced.”
In his closing remarks Monday, Crown prosecutor James Bocking said it was “unbelievable” that someone with Webber’s record was walking on the streets, especially when his psychiatrist testified his mental illness is “treatment resistant.”
Defence counsel described Webber as a man motivated to get on with his life by going to school, getting a job and someday being able to live on his own.
Brown said it’s a humane society that realizes people with mental illness shouldn’t be “caged like animals.”
Headphones used to drown out voices
In November, weeks before the December 2014 attack, Webber told staff at the group home he was hearing voices in his head more frequently, often wearing ear plugs or headphones to try and drown them out.
He asked staff for additional medication to control the auditory hallucinations and then he would isolate himself in his room.
On the morning of the attack staff at the group home noted he seemed sluggish, agitated and easily bothered by other residents.
Webber didn’t ask for any additional drugs to control the voices.
Brown appeared neither to blame staff at the group home nor his psychiatric team at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
“This is a complicated disease that in all fairness is difficult to predict,” Brown told the court.
Brown ended by saying a verdict of not criminally responsible isn’t a great victory for Webber.
Judge commends ‘poise and grace’ of victim
“It’s hard to imagine that he would have the same privileges and advantages in the community that he’s had before,” said Brown.
Before he adjourned, Justice Matthew Webber addressed the victim, Nabute Ghebrehiwet, who stood up in the courtroom.
“I feel out of respect I must commend your poise and grace in attending this trial and to hear evidence that must be very difficult,” said Webber. “This has been a tragic body of evidence to sit through and I am saddened to see this fell on you.”
Justice Webber is scheduled to hand down his verdict on September 29.