In the ongoing murder trial of Brittany Jno-Baptiste, forensic psychiatric testimony has become a focal point, with expert evidence suggesting that cannabis-induced psychosis may have impaired the defendant’s ability to make rational decisions during the fatal assault.
On Thursday, Dr. James King, a child and adult psychiatrist, provided crucial testimony as part of the defence, shedding light on Jno-Baptiste’s complex mental health history and her state of mind at the time of the murder.
Jno-Baptiste, who admitted to killing 66-year-old Wendy Jane Finch in her Piccadilly home on October 4, 2021, while hallucinating, had previously been found guilty of the brutal killing. Finch was discovered lying in a pool of blood with severe head trauma and a pair of pliers lodged in her ear.
Dr. King’s psychiatric evaluation of the accused revealed a troubled past, marked by childhood bullying, undiagnosed conditions like Dyslexia and ADHD, and a history of substance abuse. He testified that Jno-Baptiste had been smoking seven to eight cannabis joints a day by age 18, contributing to her psychological decline. The psychiatrist further described disturbing behaviour, including alleged incidents where she consumed a dead dog and attempted suicide.
On the day of the murder, Dr. King confirmed that Jno-Baptiste was experiencing cannabis-induced psychosis. During her mental evaluation, she claimed to have heard a voice instructing her to “kill Finch and join Ras Freeman,” a local cannabis establishment where she had worked.
The psychiatrist emphasized that high-THC cannabis can trigger a severe form of psychosis, characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and a distorted perception of reality, which he argued rendered Jno-Baptiste incapable of understanding her actions at the time of the crime.
The trial, being heard by Justice Tundre Bakre, is set to continue on Monday, with Jno-Baptiste’s defence attorney, Wendel Alexander, relying on this psychiatric evidence to support the claim of diminished responsibility.
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So tragic all around
wow! Praying for her healing and recovery