Re: Faraz Razaghi
ORB File No: 6820
Hearing held on: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Place of hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 1001 Queen Street West, Toronto
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before: Alternate Chairperson: Ms. C. Finley Members: Dr. P.E. Cook Dr. H. Moulden Mr. B. Garrow Mr. S. Duffy
Parties Appearing: Accused: Faraz Razaghi Counsel: Ms. C.E. Currie The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Mr. K. Dow Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. K. Kirec
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated June 10, 2025)
Introduction
On September 9, 2015, Faraz Razaghi was found not criminally responsible (“NCR”) on account of mental disorder on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, contrary to the Criminal Code, (the “Code”).
Mr. Razaghi is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board (the “Board”) dated May 22, 2024, discharging him on conditions, inter alia that he reside with his parents and report to the person in charge of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (“CAMH” and/or the “hospital”), or his or her designate not less than once every 12 weeks.
On April 30, 2025, the Board convened a hearing, pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Code to conduct the annual review of the current Disposition. Mr. Razaghi was present and represented by counsel.1
The issues before the Board are whether Mr. Razaghi continues to pose a significant risk to the safety of the public, and if so, what is the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage that risk having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Code.
The parties jointly submitted that Mr. Razaghi’s current Disposition be amended to remove the residence clause, the requirements that he consent to treatment, and submit samples for the purpose of analyzing whether he had ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicants. The issue of significant threat was not contested.
For the reasons that follow the Board finds that Mr. Razaghi continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public and that his care should continue on the same terms as his current Disposition, amended in accordance with the joint submission of the parties.
Evidentiary Record
- Dr. Jaiswal co-authored the Hospital Report dated, April 1, 2025, Exhibit 1, and testified on behalf of the hospital. No further evidence was adduced at the hearing.
Background
Mr. Razaghi’s personal and psychiatric history, including the details of his mental disorder and treatment since being found NCR, are described in detail in the Hospital Report. Briefly, Mr. Razaghi is 42 years of age, divorced with no dependents. He has resided with his parents in the community since February 2017. He was discharged on conditions following his annual review in 2023.
Mr. Razaghi is financially supported by Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and his parents. He completed university in Iran and has a degree in architecture. He is also an accomplished artist and musician. Mr. Razaghi works with his father in their family-owned construction business. He travels domestically and internationally in accordance with the privileges of his Disposition.
Mr. Razaghi’s current diagnoses are Schizoaffective Disorder, and Cannabis Use Disorder, in sustained remission.
The circumstances surrounding the index offence involved an argument that developed into a physical altercation between Mr. Razaghi and his father. During the course of the altercation Mr. Razaghi grabbed a knife and began stabbing his father in the chest and back. He then proceeded to stab himself and cut his own throat. Mr. Razaghi’s father sustained numerous stab wounds to his neck, chest and back, defensive slash wounds to his arms and collapsed lungs. Mr. Razaghi sustained self- inflicted puncture wound to his abdomen and a superficial cut to his throat.
Mr. Razaghi had no criminal history before he committed the index offences. Following his arrest Mr. Razaghi was taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. He was treated for his injuries and assessed as suffering from possible mild delirium and a psychotic disorder.
Course Since Last Annual Review
Mr. Razaghi suffers from schizoaffective disorder. When unwell, he experiences depressive symptoms, paranoid delusions and hallucinations. As noted in the Hospital Report and confirmed by Dr. Jaiswal, these symptoms have responded well to treatment with antipsychotic medications and a mood stabilizer. Currently, Mr. Razaghi is maintained on a long-acting paliperidone injection every 12 weeks, and lithium nightly. Mr. Razaghi has however continued to complain about sexual side effects.
Mr. Razaghi’s clinical stability was maintained throughout the reporting period. There were no concerns about Mr. Razaghi’s behaviour and there is no evidence that he engaged in substance use. Given Mr. Razaghi’s ongoing clinical stability and the treatment team’s limited concerns about his potential for relapsing into substance use, Dr. Jaiswal confirmed that the ongoing submission of samples for analysis is unnecessary in their opinion.
Mr. Razaghi has demonstrated a good understanding about the relationship between his mental illness and the lifelong need for medication, and the circumstances that lead to the index offense. However, in response to questions from the panel, Dr. Jaiswal stated that Mr. Razaghi recognizes that he is at risk of violent behaviour if he is noncompliant with this medication, but in the early stages of decompensation he does not recognize that he is unwell. Mr. Razaghi can recognize the signs of early decompensation in hindsight, but he still does not have a good insight in the moment.
The treatment’s team’s focus over the course of the reporting year has been on developing plans and preparing Mr. Razaghi to transition to non-forensic mental health services in the community.
In December 2024, Mr. Razaghi was accepted into a mental health program administered through the Humber River Hospital. Dr. Fleiman, an adult outpatient psychiatrist involved with the program, has agreed to prescribe Mr. Razaghi’s psychotropic medications, monitor his mental state, and follow up on lithium levels. Mr. Razaghi began receiving the antipsychotic injection at the Humber River Hospital on January 15, 2025. He reports that his appointments with Dr. Fleiman have gone well and he will continue working with her.
A critical piece of the process involved in transitioning Mr. Razaghi to the care of the non-forensic mental health program is the development of a safety and crisis management plan to ensure that the team at Humber River is fully cognizant of the nature and scope of Mr. Razaghi’s mental illness and his treatment needs. The development and application of the plan also extends to Mr. Razaghi and his family. Further psychoeducation is necessary to inform them about the importance of recognizing the early signs of decompensation and how to respond to any change Mr. Razaghi’s is mental stability. When well Mr. Razaghi recognizes. During the transition phase the treatment team needs to see durable stability in Mr. Razaghi’s mental state. They also need to be satisfied that Mr. Razaghi’s family and the team at Humber River will recognize and handle any signs of decompensation in Mr. Razaghi’s mental state in the future. The development and implementation of the safety and crisis management plan is a work in progress and is expected to be completed before the next annual review.
Dr. Jaiswal confirmed that the clinical team is of the opinion that Mr. Razaghi meets the threshold for significant threat to public safety. In the absence of the Board’s continuing oversight, Mr. Razaghi is likely to experience a decline in insight and fall away from treatment, resulting in the decompensation of his mental state. Absent medication and adequate monitoring for clinical stability, Mr. Razaghi is likely to incorporate individuals in his proximity into his delusional beliefs and engage in violent behaviour towards them. Dr. Jaiswal agreed with the conclusion based on the composite assessment of Mr. Razaghi’s risk, that in the context of an absolute discharge, his risk for violent re-offending falls in the moderate range. However, the risk remains in the low range while he remains on a conditional discharge and engaged in transitioning to the care of the non-forensic team at Humber River.
Analysis and Conclusions
Having considered all of the evidence and the joint submission presented by the parties the Board finds that Mr. Razaghi continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public. We agree with the treatment team’s opinion that the risks Mr. Razaghi presents to the safety of the public can be properly mitigated if the residence clause is removed from his current Disposition along with the requirements that he consent to treatment, and submit samples for the purpose of analyzing whether he had ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicants.
Mr. Razaghi is progressing well on the path to full integration in the community. We commend him for maintaining a good therapeutic relationship with the clinical team, and his willingness to engage with Dr. Fleiman and the team at Humber River. We urge Mr. Razaghi and his family to continue working with both teams to develop and implement a safety and crisis management that will instill confidence in them that his risks can be managed safely in the community without the oversight of the Board.
In coming to these conclusions, the Board has considered its responsibility pursuant to s. 672.54 of the Code to make a disposition that is necessary and appropriate in the circumstances, taking in to account the safety of the public, which is the paramount consideration, the mental condition of the accused, his reintegration into society, and his other needs.
DATED this 10th day of June, 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Region of Toronto.
Mr. B. Garrow Legal Member
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board