Julie A. Zamprogna

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's disposition following a finding of not criminally responsible for various offences including arson and assault.

The accused, who has schizophrenia and a substance use disorder, had been readmitted to the hospital three times during the reporting period due to relapses into crystal methamphetamine use.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety and ordered the continuation of his Detention Order with the removal of a travel pass provision.

The Board also determined that the hospital readmissions were voluntary and did not constitute reportable restrictions of liberty, and ordered a Gladue report for the next review.

The accused was found not criminally responsible for second-degree murder in 2021 after killing her infant son during a major psychotic incident.

She appeared before the Ontario Review Board for a mandatory review of her conditional discharge.

The evidence demonstrated that her schizoaffective disorder was optimally treated, she had maintained stability in the community for several years, and she had robust professional and personal supports, including a voluntary Community Treatment Order.

The Board concluded that the accused no longer posed a significant threat to the safety of the public and ordered an absolute discharge.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the disposition for an accused found not criminally responsible for multiple offences including robbery.

The accused, who has schizophrenia and a substance use disorder, had a history of absconding and relapsing into substance use, which exacerbated his psychotic symptoms.

Relying on the uncontroverted evidence of the treating psychiatric team, the Board concluded that the accused remains a significant threat to public safety.

The Board ordered the continuation of the existing Detention Order to provide necessary supervision during his transition to community living.

The Ontario Review Board held an early hearing regarding the accused, who was previously found unfit to stand trial on charges of sexual offences.

The hospital requested the hearing due to the accused's declining physical health from metastatic lung cancer, which caused a major neurocognitive disorder.

The Board found the accused permanently unfit to stand trial and concluded he does not pose a significant threat to public safety.

The Board recommended the Court hold an inquiry to determine whether a stay of proceedings should be ordered.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for an accused found not criminally responsible for manslaughter.

The accused, who has schizophrenia, committed the index offence while experiencing command hallucinations.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety, noting that his stability relies on medication adherence and the structured hospital environment.

The Board ordered the continuation of the Detention Order, but granted expanded community privileges, including indirectly supervised passes and the possibility of living in approved supervised accommodation, as jointly recommended by the parties.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's detention disposition.

The accused had been found not criminally responsible for firearms offences.

The Board accepted the joint submission of the parties and the expert evidence of the treating psychiatrist, finding that the accused continued to pose a significant threat to public safety due to his substance-induced psychotic disorder and partial insight.

The Board ordered a continued detention disposition with increased privileges, including passes into Southwestern Ontario, and removed the strict abstinence requirement to assess his ability to manage substance use in the community.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review for an accused found not criminally responsible for offences including threatening death and causing a disturbance.

The accused, who has diagnoses of Schizoaffective Disorder and Substance Use Disorder, had made progress but continued to lack insight into his mental illness and need for medication.

The Board accepted uncontroverted expert evidence that the accused remained a moderate risk for violent re-offending and required the structure of a forensic setting.

The Board concluded the accused continued to pose a significant threat to public safety and ordered a continued detention disposition, while expanding his indirectly supervised community access to facilitate reintegration.

The Ontario Review Board convened to review a restriction of liberty imposed on the accused, who had previously been found not criminally responsible for various offences.

The accused, who suffers from schizophrenia and substance use disorder, relapsed into using crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine while living in a transitional residence, prompting his readmission to the hospital.

The Board found the restriction of liberty was necessary and appropriate for public safety.

The Board also amended the accused's disposition to include an abstinence clause, finding that he required extrinsic support to maintain abstinence.

The accused, who was found not criminally responsible for robbery and uttering threats, brought a motion before the Ontario Review Board seeking an independent psychiatric assessment for diagnostic clarification.

Although diagnosed with schizophrenia by multiple psychiatrists, the accused disputed the diagnosis, resulting in a lack of progress toward community reintegration.

The hospital and Crown opposed the motion, arguing there was no diagnostic ambiguity or treatment impasse.

The Board granted the motion, finding that while there was no treatment impasse, an independent assessment could provide therapeutic benefit and help address the accused's stagnation in the forensic system.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for the accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for assault and threatening bodily harm.

The accused has diagnoses of schizophrenia and substance use disorder.

The Board accepted the joint position of the parties and the evidence of the treating psychiatrist that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public.

The Board ordered a continued detention disposition with privileges, noting the need to assess the accused's ability to live independently and manage his symptoms before considering a conditional discharge.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for an accused found not criminally responsible for aggravated assault and weapons offences.

The accused, who has schizophrenia and an intellectual disability, remains detained at a forensic mental health centre.

The Board accepted uncontroverted psychiatric evidence that the accused remains treatment resistant and would pose a moderate to high risk to public safety without forensic supervision.

The Board concluded the accused continues to pose a significant threat to public safety and ordered a continued Detention Disposition with minor modifications to community access privileges.

The accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for arson, was living in the community subject to a conditional discharge.

Following a relapse into substance use and mental decompensation involving paranoia towards his manager, he was readmitted to the hospital for 10 days.

The Ontario Review Board held a hearing to review this restriction of liberty.

The Board found that the 10-day hospital admission constituted a significant restriction of liberty, but concluded it was necessary, appropriate, and the least restrictive and least onerous measure to protect public safety.

The Ontario Review Board held a hearing to review the disposition of the accused, who was previously found unfit to stand trial on charges of assault and resisting arrest.

The Board accepted the uncontroverted psychiatric evidence that the accused is permanently unfit to stand trial due to a moderate intellectual disability.

The Board ordered a detention disposition, permitting the accused to live in a 24/7 supervised accommodation approved by the hospital, emphasizing the need for consistent one-to-one staffing to manage her risk of violence and substance use relapse.

The accused, previously found not criminally responsible for violent offences against her son, underwent an annual Review Board hearing.

The hospital and Crown recommended continuing her Detention Order with increased privileges, while the accused sought a Conditional Discharge to move to Windsor.

Relying on expert psychiatric evidence, the Board found the accused remains a significant threat to public safety due to her schizophrenia, cognitive impairments, and vulnerability to stress.

The Board concluded a Detention Order was the least onerous and least restrictive disposition necessary to manage her risk and enforce a no-contact provision with her victim.

The Ontario Review Board held a hearing to review the disposition of the accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for attempted murder and possession of a prohibited weapon.

The accused has diagnoses of schizophrenia and substance use disorder.

Relying on uncontroverted expert psychiatric evidence, the Board found that the accused remains a significant threat to public safety due to ongoing thought disorganization, unoptimized medication, and vulnerability to substance relapse.

The Board ordered a detention disposition as the least onerous and least restrictive option, granting accompanied passes to the community but denying a request for community living privileges at this time.

The Ontario Review Board held a mandatory annual review hearing for an accused found not criminally responsible for break and enter.

The accused, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and substance use disorder, had been living in the community but was readmitted to the hospital due to environmental aggression and delusions.

The Board found that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public due to ongoing delusions, lack of insight, and risk of medication non-compliance.

The Board ordered a continuation of the detention disposition, finding that a conditional discharge would be insufficient to manage the risk.

The Ontario Review Board held a hearing to review the restriction of the accused's liberty after his privileges were reduced from Level 7 to Level 3.

The hospital reduced his privileges following an incident where he failed to return from an indirectly supervised community pass on time and exhibited signs of decompensation.

The Board found that both the initial and continuing restriction of the accused's liberty were necessary, appropriate, and the least restrictive option to manage risk, given his recent history, defiant attitude, and delusional ideation.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for the accused, who was previously found unfit to stand trial on a charge of aggravated assault.

The accused, who suffers from Korsakoff's Dementia, had repeatedly breached her conditional discharge by consuming alcohol, leading to multiple hospital readmissions.

The Board found that the accused remains unfit to stand trial and is likely permanently unfit.

Concluding that the conditional discharge was no longer sufficient to manage her risk, the Board ordered that she be detained at the hospital with privileges.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review for an accused found not criminally responsible for uttering threats.

The attending psychiatrist testified that the accused had been stable in a group home but remained a significant threat to public safety due to the risk of rapid decompensation if his declining physical health necessitated a move to long-term care.

The Board accepted this evidence, finding the accused remained a significant threat.

However, the Board concluded that the risk could be safely managed in the community and ordered a conditional discharge with conditions, including a named residence and a consent to treatment clause.

The accused, previously found not criminally responsible for assault with a weapon and other offences, appeared before the Ontario Review Board for a mandatory disposition review.

The Board found that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to public safety due to his bipolar disorder, severe substance abuse disorder, and limited insight into his illness.

The Board ordered the continuation of his detention at the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care, with amended privileges allowing for indirectly supervised passes in Ontario, rejecting the accused's request for a conditional discharge.