COQUITLAM, B.C. — An expert for the Crown says a doctor for a British Columbia man who killed his three children could be biased in recommending escorted day outings from a psychiatric hospital.
Dr. Anton Schweighofer told an annual review board hearing for Allan Schoenborn that a psychiatrist is likely to build an alliance with a patient before determining how much threat is posed to the public.
Schoenborn’s psychiatrist, Dr. Marcel Hediger, has said his patient needs escorted trips into the community as part of his rehabilitation.
Schoenborn’s lawyer interrupted proceedings to ask why the expert was allowed an hour and a half when he was slated for just 30 minutes.
The proceeding is into its third day of hearings when most reviews last half a day, possibly foreshadowing the Crown’s bid to seek a high-risk designation for Schoenborn under new federal legislation.
The victims’ family opposes supervised outings for Schoenborn, who was found not criminally responsible for the 2008 killings on a account of a mental disorder.