Ontario Review Board
Re: Christopher Schmidt-Griffiths
ORB File No: 8447
Hearing held on: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Place of Hearing: Brockville Mental Health Centre
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. C. Flanagan
Members: Dr. Y. Alatishe
Dr. W. Loza
Ms. M. Chamberlain
Mr. S. Duffy
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Christopher Schmidt-Griffiths
Counsel: Mr. C. Carter
The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Dr. A. Adiele
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. K. Schultz
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated May 14, 2026)
Introduction
On December 18, 2023, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on charges of breach of probation, and causing a disturbance in a public place, both contrary to the Criminal Code.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board (“ORB” or “the Board”) dated April 17, 2025, detaining him at the Secure Forensic Unit of the Brockville Mental Health Centre - Member of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group (“the hospital” or “BMHC”), with certain privileges including to live in the community in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On March 31, 2026, a panel of the Board convened to review the Disposition in accordance with the requirements of s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. C. Carter, counsel for Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths, attended the hearing, as did Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths and his mother. A Hospital Report dated March 17, 2026, and a CPIC Response Report were filed as Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively at the hearing. In addition to the documentary evidence, Dr. A. Adiele, the attending psychiatrist, gave evidence at the hearing.
The issues to be determined are whether Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public, as defined in section 672.5401 of the Criminal Code, and if so, the necessary and appropriate Disposition to manage that risk, having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
For the reasons set out below, this Board concluded that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition on the same terms and conditions.
Initial Position of the Parties
At the outset of the hearing, the parties were canvassed as to their recommendations to the Board.
Dr. Adiele, on behalf of the Hospital, recommended the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition on the same terms and conditions.
Mr. Schultz, on behalf of the Attorney General of Ontario, supported the recommendation of the Hospital.
Mr. Carter, on behalf of Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths, conceded significant risk and supported the Hospital’s recommendation.
At the end of the evidence, all parties maintained their initial positions. Mr. Carter highlighted the recent “dip” in Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths behaviour which included a reduction in sleep, low mood, and withdrawal from social activities. He encouraged the hospital to explore this in the coming year.
Index Offence
- The circumstances giving rise to the index offences are taken from last year’s Reason’s for Disposition as follows:
“In April of 2023, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was placed on probation for the offence of criminal harassment. In July of that year, he attended the complainant’s (his mother’s) residence and was arrested and charged with breaching his probation. In the period September 12 - 23, 2023, police received numerous calls regarding disruptive behaviour in public by this accused. On September 22nd, he was yelling and screaming outside a residence for some four hours. Police attended and arrested him for cause disturbance and breach probation, by not keeping the peace.”
Personal Background/Psychiatric History
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ personal background and psychiatric history are set out in the Hospital Report, filed as an exhibit at the hearing and need not be repeated in detail in these Reasons.
Briefly, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is a 35-year-old single man. He has an older sister and a maternal half-sister who passed away in 2023. It is reported that his father was abusive toward both his mother and older sister, resulting in his parents separating when he was one year of age. Subsequently, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths developed a positive relationship with a stepfather.
According to Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ mother, school was very difficult for her son. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”). Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths did not advance beyond grade 11 although he did complete all required high school credits in 2019 or 2020.
His alcohol and drug use began in school. He acknowledged using cannabis and cocaine, with cannabis his drug of choice. His employment history is sporadic. He was not able to "cope" with the demands and pressures of a work environment, due to his mental illness and anxiety levels.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths mother reported that she began to have difficulties with her son’s behavior in September 2011. At this time, he began to complain about hearing voices. Her son informed her that voices were telling him that she was not his real mother. This led to him being physically violent toward her. The situation became unmanageable, and he was admitted to hospital on several occasions.
In 2012, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths assaulted his mother. He was living with his mother and sister in Gananoque at the time. He was charged and found NCR for this offence. On June 9, 2020, he received a Conditional Discharge Disposition from the Review Board and returned to live with his mother and sister, this time in Brockville. In 2021, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was absolutely discharged and subsequently left his mother’s home and lived on the street.
Prior to the index offences, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was convicted of several criminal offences, largely relating to his mother. On February 16, 2023, he was convicted of assault and breach of probation and received a suspended sentence (59 days of presentence custody) with 2 years’ probation and a weapons prohibition. On April 14, 2023, he was convicted of criminal harassment and received one day in custody (41 days of presentence custody) with two years’ probation and a weapons prohibition. On August 25, 2023, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was convicted of breach of probation and received one day custody (47 days presentence custody).
On September 22, 2023, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was arrested for causing a disturbance and breach of probation outside his mother’s residence and found NCR on these charges on December 1, 2023. He was transferred to BMHC under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths receives benefits from the Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”) and has no supplemental income at this time. He remains capable of consenting to treatment and managing his finances.
Current Diagnosis
- Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Evidence at the Hearing
The Hospital’s evidence was presented through the oral testimony of Dr. Anthony Adiele to supplement the Hospital Report, filed as an exhibit at the hearing.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths was discharged to the FITT (“Forensic Intensive Transitional Treatment”) House on August 6, 2025. This is a four-bedroom residence within the hospital campus, providing 24-hour supervision.
He has remained compliant with his medication regimen and throughout the majority of the reporting year, his positive symptoms have been controlled. He continues to experience, however, negative symptoms of his illness. Notably, during the latter weeks of the reporting period, there has been an emergence of breakthrough symptoms. These include observed active perceptual disturbances, including apparent responses to internal stimuli. As reported in the Hospital Report on page 52:
“However, during the latter weeks of the review period, staff observations have raised clinical concern, including apparent perceptual disturbances, disrupted sleep, low mood, reduced appetite, social withdrawal, and declining engagement with scheduled activities.”
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths insight remains limited. He consistently minimizes or denies his recent breakthrough symptoms despite when brought to his attention by clinical staff.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffith urine drug screens have all been negative during the reporting year. He has been engaged in individual addiction counselling sessions with an Addictions counsellor and attends weekly Narcotic Anonymous (“NA”) meetings, although attendance has been inconsistent.
Dr. Adiele advised that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths has limited insight into the risk posed by substance use and does not believe substance use is an issue for him. In this regard, he has stated that he "does not need Narcotics Anonymous” and "does not have addictions”. Dr. Adiele highlighted that substance use played a role leading to the most recent index offences.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ engagement with non-pharmacological therapeutic programming has been variable with canceled or missed scheduled appointments. In addition, vocational engagement has been a persistent challenge throughout the reporting year.
Dr. Adiele advised that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths needs to establish a more structured daily routine, participate more actively in programming activities, and ideally obtain a job or volunteer position before being moved to the less supervised (8-hour a day) transitional Murray Street Group Home in Brockville.
Dr. Adiele advised that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths wishes to return to live at his mother’s house. His mother has been his main support over the years and according to Dr. Adiele, a written revocable consent for contact has been filed by his mother with the hospital.
The treatment team has not endorsed such a discharge, however, citing the untoward historical pattern of that living arrangement and the concerns identified during the assessment of an Approved Person. In this regard, the treatment team was not content with the present environment of the mother’s house and did not support overnight visits, not wanting a repeat of past conduct towards his mother.
Dr. Adiele advised that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths needs to stabilize his mental health, eliminate breakthrough symptoms with optimal treatment, stay compliant with medication, add structure to his routine, and maintain abstinence from substances before the treatment team would consider any return to live with his mother for her safety. Dr. Adiele highlighted that following Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths Absolute Discharge from the Board in 2021, he returned home, started using substances which led to the index offences involving his mother.
Dr. Adiele adopted the Hospital Report that states that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is a significant threat to the safety of the public. If absolutely discharged, the doctor advised that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths would probably reduce his medication or not take it, become more unwell, succumb to substance use and become a significant risk. As stated in the Hospital Report on page 54:
“His most likely re-offence scenario, if removed from this structure, involves a sequential deterioration pathway: medication non-compliance leading to psychiatric destabilization, followed by substance use, relational conflict with his mother, breach of any applicable conditions, and index-type offending. This pathway has been clearly demonstrated on two prior occasions, following his conditional discharge in 2020 and his Absolute Discharge in 2021. The enforced compliance mechanisms of the current Detention Order represent a critical safeguard against this trajectory.”
- When asked, Dr. Adiele stated that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is not ready for independent living and requires appropriately supported and supervised accommodation approved by the hospital to properly manage his risk in the community. As stated in the Hospital Report on page 53:
“Without the current forensic framework and supervised housing, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths would face substantially elevated risk of inadequate housing or homelessness, as clearly evidenced by the seven-month period of homelessness preceding his current admission.”
- No further evidence was presented at the hearing.
Analysis, Conclusion and Disposition
Having considered all the evidence presented at the hearing, this Board finds that Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public as set out in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code. We make this finding based on Dr. Adiele’s oral evidence and the Hospital Report, despite the parties' joint position regarding significant threat.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths is diagnosed with a treatment resistant major mental illness with long-standing polysubstance use. He has a documented consistent pattern of violence primarily directed towards his mother, during periods of psychiatric instability and substance use.
Although positive symptoms of his illness have been under control for the majority of the reporting year, the recent emergence of ongoing breakthrough symptoms, including responses to internal stimuli and an anomalous gait pattern possibly reflecting visual-perceptual disturbances are of concern. Further, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ insight into such symptoms is lacking. He continues to minimize or deny them when brought to his attention by members of the treatment team. He also has limited insight into the risk posed by substance use and does not believe substance use is an issue for him. This Board notes that substance use has played a role in past untoward behaviour, including the index offences.
This Board also accepts the risk factors as outlined in the Hospital Report on pages 46-55. As testified by Dr. Adiele, whose evidence we accept, should Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths be absolutely discharged, he would probably reduce his medication or not take it, become more unwell, succumb to substance use and become a significant risk.
For the above reasons, this Board finds Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths a significant threat to the safety of the public and that a Detention Disposition is necessary and appropriate to manage his risk. As stated in the Hospital Report on page 55:
“Under the current forensic management structure, the operative risk for violent behaviour is assessed as low. However, removal of the structured oversight provided by the Detention Order would be expected to be associated with deterioration across multiple risk management domains, with a corresponding, exponential increase in risk toward the High range”.
Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ engagement with non-pharmacological therapeutic programming has been inconsistent and has required significant treatment team effort to maintain. Most notably, there has been a recent decline in Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths behaviour which includes disrupted sleep, low mood, reduced appetite, social withdrawal, and declining engagement with scheduled activities. This Board agrees this is something that needs to be further explored in the coming year.
The treatment team does not support Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths moving in with his mother. This Board agrees. Although she is supportive of her son, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths has a troubling history of untoward and aggressive behaviour towards her. His ongoing breakthrough symptoms, recent decline in behaviour and concerns raised by the treatment team about the appropriateness of his mother’s current environment, all militate against such a move.
Although not advanced by the parties, a Conditional Discharge Disposition is premature at this point in time. Given recent events, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths requires appropriately supported and supervised accommodation approved by the hospital to manage his risk in the community.
To his credit, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths has been compliant with his medication regimen, remained substance free, has not exhibited any violent behaviour, and has remained at his supervised accommodation without the necessity to return to hospital. In addition, as stated above, he enjoys the support of his mother. Should things go well for Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths in the coming year, he may be transitioned to the less supervised Murray Street Group Home in Brockville.
Consequently, we find that the most necessary and appropriate Disposition is the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition on the same terms and conditions.
In reaching our decision, this Board has considered the safety of the public, Mr. Schmidt-Griffiths’ mental condition, his reintegration into society, and his other needs.
DATED this 14^th^ day of May, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Mr. C. Flanagan
Alternate Chairperson
__________________
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board