Justin Bourque found fit to stand trial in Moncton shootings

Justin ChristienBourque, the man accused of killing three Mounties and wounding two others in Moncton, N.B., last month has been found fit to stand trial.

The results of a psychiatric assessment ofBourque, 24, were presented to the Moncton provincial court on Thursday.No details were released.

Bourque is charged with three counts of first-degreemurder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the June 4 shootings in the southeastern New Brunswick city. He has not entered any pleas.

Bourque elected Thursday to be tried by judge and jury and waived his right to a preliminary inquiry as about 50 people looked on.

CodiacRCMP Supt.Marlene Snowman was among the spectators gathered. She sat in the front row, looking directly atBourquethroughout the proceedings, while a small group of plainclothes officers stood at the back of the room.

Bourque'sfather, VictorBourque, was also present for his son'sappearance in the small, second-storey courtroom.

• TIMELINE | Moncton shooting: From lockdown to Justin Bourque's arrest
• PROFILE |Justin Bourque: Latest revelations about man charged in Moncton shooting

At one point, a spectator stood up and tried to take a photograph ofBourqueusing hissmartphone. Sheriff's officers quickly surrounded the man and seized the phone.

The entire court proceedinglasted only a matter of minutes.

Bourquesat expressionless in the prisoner's box with his hands in cuffs, looking around the courtroom.

Veteran defence lawyer DavidLutzdid all of the talking for his client, except when Judge IrwinLampertaskedBourqueif he understood, and he replied, "Yes."

Lutzrequested a publication ban on the contents of thepsychiatric assessment report, which included a videotaped interview withBourque.

He said his client does not dispute the findings of the report, completed by a three-person team on Monday. It concludedthe defence of not being criminally responsible by reason of mental defect is not available toBourque, the courtroom heard.

The judge granted the publication ban, but said he did so reluctantly.

The courts are normallyreluctant to restrict any information to the public, saidLampert. But in this case, the report could be prejudicial toBourque'sdefence and his right to a fair trial, he said.

Bourqueis scheduled toappear in the Court of Queen's Benchon Aug. 8before Justice David Smith, when the case will be transferred to the higher court.

Bourquehad beenordered earlier this month to undergo a 30-day assessmentto determine if he is fit to stand trial and whether he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the alleged offences that would exempt him from criminal responsibility.

An affidavit from Bourque's fatherstatedthat his son had beengripped by "paranoia" in the days before the alleged shooting spree.

The affidavit was in support of a request by Bourque's lawyer to have his client undergo a psychiatric assessment.

Bourque was arrested just after midnight on June 6, following a two-day manhunt that involved hundreds of police officers from across the country and caused a lockdown of much of the city.

Police found him when they responded to a complaint of someone being in a backyard.

The Crown prosecutors handling the case are Cameron Gunn and P.J.Veniot.

Judge Irwin Lampert is presiding.

TheRCMP officers who were killed on June 4 were:

• Const. Douglas JamesLarche, 40, from Saint John.
• Const. Dave Joseph Ross, 32, from Victoriaville, Que.
• Const. Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, 45, originally from Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

ConstablesricStphaneJ.Duboisand Marie DarleneGoguenwere wounded.