ESTEVAN - The Estevan man who is facing 10 charges in connection with a shooting earlier this year has been ruled unfit to stand trial at this time.
Following a joint submission from the Crown and defence attorneys, Judge Mitch Miller issued the ruling Monday in Estevan Provincial Court for William Joshua Curtis, who will be detained in custody at the Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford, which is a provincial psychiatric facility.
Curtis is charged with one count each of attempted murder by discharging a firearm; pointing a firearm; discharging a firearm; aggravated assault; possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence; uttering threats; manufacture of ammunition while unauthorized; and possession of a firearm while prohibited. He is also charged with two counts of manufacture of a firearm while unauthorized.
In handing down the ruling, Miller said he had reviewed reports of two doctors, one that was filed July 12 and the other from Nov. 21. Miller noted the first document found Curtis was fit to stand trial but suffered from a mental disorder so as to exempt him from being criminally responsible. The judge went on to say the other found Curtis was not fit to stand trial, and the doctor said he did not pursue an extensive evaluation on criminal responsibility.
Miller said the second doctor had concerns about Curtis' capacity to understand the charges, and the doctor noted Curtis was "quite delusional" about having participated in the crimes he is accused of.
The judge said the doctor from the first report also noted the accused told him that Curtis did not do anything and is "mentally ill to the point that he doesn't feel any crime has been committed" and that someone else did it.
Miller said the first doctor has concerns regarding Curtis' capacity to communicate facts to his lawyer, because he is unable to consider the charge as a viable or reasonable one.
"Because of that, he is unable to discuss what happened with his counsel in a meaningful way. This implies that he has impaired capacity to even plan his strategy, his legal strategy, to counsel," said Miller in reading the report.
Under section 672.45 of the Criminal Code, Curtis will remain at the Saskatchewan Hospital until he is deemed fit to stand trial. A review period will have to take place within the next two years.
Background: According to the EPS, members received a report on April 8 that an individual had been shot in the 1600-block of Third Street and the armed male suspect had fled the scene. Residents in the neighbourhood were asked to shelter in place within their basements.
An immediate response included the deployment of EPS patrol members, the Joint Tactical Support Team (JTST) of the Estevan and Weyburn Police Services, Estevan RCMP detachment members, RCMP International Border Enforcement Team members, the Regina Police Service Air Unit, and members of Estevan Fire Rescue Service and Estevan Emergency Medical Services. Up to 40 officers were deployed in Estevan at various stages of the response. Several drones were also used.
While containing the scene and searching for Curtis, the EPS said they determined he had barricaded himself in a residence in the 1700-block of Third Street, where he refused to communicate or comply with direction from members to surrender.
An RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) unit was subsequently deployed to the scene, where a tactical armoured vehicle and a chemical agent were used to successfully arrest Curtis.
