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Accused Killer Wants Fitness for Trial
31 Mar
Summary
- Accused seeks mental fitness for trial, not to claim insanity.
- Two psychiatrists found the accused unfit for trial.
- The judge will decide the accused's mental capacity.
Jongwon Ham, accused of first-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing death of RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang, appeared in B.C. Supreme Court seeking a finding of mental fitness for trial. Previously, two psychiatrists testified that Ham suffers from a psychotic disorder and is unfit to stand trial.
However, Ham's defence lawyer stated that her client believes he does not have delusions. The court will now assess whether he has the mental capacity to understand the charges and effectively participate in his own defence. This fitness hearing does not address his mental state at the time of the alleged crime.
Const. Yang, a mental health and homeless outreach officer, died on October 18, 2022, in Burnaby, B.C., after attempting to speak with a man sheltering in a tent.
