By John Cotter, The Canadian Press

EDMONTON - The man accused of using a rifle to take nine hostages at the Workers' Compensation Board in Edmonton this week wept in court as his case was put over until next Friday.

Patrick Charles Clayton, 38, wiped tears from his eyes with his hands and the sleeve of his blue inmate overalls as a judge asked him Friday if he could afford to hire a lawyer.

"I can't afford nothing," Clayton said.

Clayton is charged with unlawful confinement, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, careless use of a firearm and the use of a firearm during the commission of an offence.

The Crown told the judge that Clayton has been found medically fit to enter a plea on the charges.

A few injured workers who say they are also frustrated with the compensation board were in court to offer Clayton moral support. They say they don't approve of anyone resorting to violence, but understand how someone could be angry because they say the board does not treat some injured workers fairly or with with respect.

"I feel sorry for people ... that have been treated wrong," Jack Baird said outside of court.

"I've been on workers' compensation for the last five years and I have never been treated more ignorantly in all my life than I have by those people."

Edmonton police have said Clayton was determined to die on Wednesday after he somehow managed to slip through security at the WCB office with a high-powered rifle and plenty of ammunition.

After firing one shot into a wall, a man locked himself and the hostages in an office, forcing the evacuation of more than 700 people in the city's downtown core. He surrendered to officers following a 10-hour stand-off during which he was in contact with police hostage negotiators.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach praised police for their peaceful handling of the stand-off but said his government will review what happened and will look into security at the WCB office.

In 1993, a disgruntled worker used a gun to take three people hostage in Calgary's northside office to protest the way his claim had been handled. No one was injured in the incident, which ended after 4 1/2 hours when the man passed out from painkillers.

Gail Cumming, a former WCB case manager who now owns a consulting business, said injured workers are constantly at odds with the board. Many feel the board is more concerned with keeping employer premium rates down than with providing good customer service to injured workers, she said.

The Workers' Compensation Board has called Wednesday's hostage taking a "very, very rare incident." It contends it has solid security procedures, including guards and a system where employees swipe a card to enter the Edmonton office.

Edmonton Police have said that while their officers did a good job handling the hostage taking, it would be better for the WCB, police and health care providers to find a way to prevent such potentially violent incidents.