Court awaits mental assessment of man charged with murder of mother
After 7 weeks waiting for doctor, judge grants 2nd application to keep order alive
A Resolute Bay man charged with first-degree murder has again been ordered to undergo an assessment of his mental condition after a backlog prevented a timely assessment, following the first court order. (File photo by Daron Letts)
A Resolute Bay man accused of murdering his mother continues to wait for an assessment of his mental condition to determine whether he is fit to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge.
Babah Kalluk, 46, was arrested by the RCMP on Nov. 23, 2024, after the discovery of a woman’s body at a home in Resolute Bay. The woman was identified as the accused’s mother, Zipporah Kalluk.
In April, Justice Mark Mossey ordered Kalluk to undergo an assessment of his mental condition, but a backlog of patients prevented him from being assessed within seven weeks of the order.
On Thursday, Justice Faiyaz Alibhai granted a second application, made by Kalluk’s defence lawyer, Matthew Eaton-Kent.
The Crown did not contest the request.
An Ontario doctor will conduct the psychological assessment.
During the preliminary hearing in April, Mossey determined there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial for first-degree murder, if Kalluk is found mentally fit to stand trial.
If convicted, Kalluk would have to serve a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on June 9.
(0) Comments