Trial begins of man who admitted killing 10 in Toronto van attack

The trial of Canadian man who killed 10 people when he drove a van on to a crowded Toronto sidewalk will begin on Tuesday, and is expected to focus on questions of criminal responsibility, misogyny and mental illness.

Alek Minassian, 28, faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder over the April 2018 attack, the worst mass murder in the city’s history.

Because he has admitted to the killings, the judge-only trial will instead focus on Minassian’s state of mind at the time of the attack.

Minassian’s lawyers are expected to argue that he suffers from a yet-undisclosed mental illness and, on a balance of probabilities, didn’t comprehend the distinction between right and wrong when he veered on to the sidewalk.

Both the Crown and defence teams are expected to rely heavily on the testimony of medical and mental health experts.

The Toronto-based lawyer Angela Chaisson, who has participated in a number of trials centred on criminal responsibility, said it was extremely rare for Canadian judges to determine that a defendant was not criminally responsible for their actions.

“Most lay people buy into the Hollywood version, where unscrupulous people claim insanity and they get off. And it’s just not accurate,” said Chaisson. “In fact, the consequences of being found not criminally responsible can be, and often are, more severe than life in prison.”

Toronto van attack suspect says he was ‘radicalized’ online by ‘incels’

Read more

Alongside the question of his mental state, a key element of Minassian’s trial is likely to be his association with the so-called “incel” ideology of men united by sexual frustration and a hatred of women.

Following his arrest in April, Minassian told police officers that he was a virgin who had never had a girlfriend, admitted to using the van as a weapon and said he wanted to inspire more attacks.

Asked how he felt about the deaths, he replied: “I feel like I accomplished my mission.” Eight of the 10 killed were women.

The trial, long delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be streamed over Zoom.

A space at the Toronto Convention Centre has been set aside for the public to follow the proceedings, which are expected to last four weeks.