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Psychiatrist Under Fire: Client's Psychosis Questioned
28 Nov
Summary
- Psychiatrist faced 'grossly unfair' questioning about client's psychosis.
- Client killed six people and injured 10 others in a knife attack.
- Lawyer argued psychiatrist was not an expert and felt attacked.

A psychiatrist, Andrea Boros-Lavack, found herself in a challenging situation during an inquest concerning her long-time client, Joel Cauchi, who committed a deadly stabbing spree. Her lawyer asserted that she was unfairly pressured to answer questions about Cauchi's state of psychosis during the attack, arguing she was a treating physician, not an expert. Cauchi tragically killed six individuals and injured ten others on April 13, 2024, while reportedly experiencing psychotic symptoms. Despite initial suggestions from the psychiatrist that frustration with women motivated the attack, she later retracted them. Her counsel emphasized her eight years of "largely exemplary care" and stated she could not be blamed for his decision to stop antipsychotic medication, highlighting that he fell through mental health care cracks after moving states.



