Psychiatric assessment ordered for man arrested after Fredericton standoff
The man arrested after a seven-hour standoff in Fredericton last week appeared in provincial court Tuesday for a bail hearing but got the court to order a psychiatric assessment instead.
Kyle Anthony Kennedy, 28, used the appearance to make demands about future appearances and for comments about the standoff in the College Hill area last Thursday that forced several schools and two universities to lock their doors.
Kennedy is charged with assault with a weapon, an SKS rifle, pointing a firearm, uttering threats, illegally confining two people, possessing firearms, an SKS rifle and a Mossberg shotgun, knowing he was not the holder of a licence, and having firearms in his possession after being prohibited from doing so.
He is also charged with violating a probation order from July 10.
When proceedings started, Kennedy requested a 30-day psychiatric assessment for himself at the Restigouche Hospital Centre. To help make his case, he asked Judge Kenneth L. Oliver to listen to recordings made during the incident.
"There's moments where I'm speaking to myself," Kennedy said.
Both Crown and duty counsel agreed more evidence would normally be required before a request for a month-long assessment.
But Crown prosecutor Rodney Jordan said he wouldn't object to a five-day assessment, "given the circumstances."
Throughout the appearance, Kennedy spoke to the court without being asked and demanded several things, including a jury trial and dash-cam and body camera footage from police who responded to the standoff.
Kennedy also asked that the police negotiator and the two people he's accused of confining be present at his next court appearance along with photos of the weapons in question, which he described as "inoperable scrap metal."
"I want everything," he said.
A publication ban was suggested, but Kennedy objected, despite a warning from duty counsel Doug Smith that he could be jeopardizing a trial.
No publication ban was ordered, but the judge advised Kennedy to be careful what he said.
Kennedy went on to blame the length of the standoff on his distrust of the Fredericton police.
"I didn't trust the Fredericton Police Force to take me into custody, and I wanted the RCMP to do it to make sure the evidence I had was logged properly."
Oliver ordered Kennedy to complete a five-day psychiatric assessment at a correctional facility.
He is to return to court Nov. 5, at 1:30 p.m., the judge said.
