Psychiatric tests for man accused of threatening P.E.I. premier
Richard Leonard Wright, who is accused of making death threats against P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan, has been ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment to see if he's fit to stand trial.
Wright, 49, appeared in Charlottetown provincial court Monday before Judge Nancy Orr to answer charges of uttering threats, firearms violations and marijuana possession.
Crown prosecutor Cindy Wedge presented evidence that she says shows Wright has a mental disorder, including more than a hundred pages of transcripts of the man's Facebook page.
Wedge told court the Facebook postings, made over the past year, contain hundreds of threats against MacLauchlan and a slew of other Canadian politicians and world leaders.
The Crown told court that is evidence that Wright needs to be kept in custody and examined by psychiatrists.
Refused help of court-appointed lawyer
Wedge also told court that Wright was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after an incident last year in Halifax in which he handed out thousands of dollars to strangers on the streets.
The prosecutor said Wright spent 12 days in the psychiatric unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at that time.
But pharmacy records show he never filled the prescription he was given for bipolar disorder, she says.
Wright was arrested last week at his home in St. Patricks, where RCMP say they seized four firearms.
On Monday, Wright told the judge he does not recognize the authority of the court, and has refused the help of a court-appointed defence lawyer.
As for the weapons charges, Wright told court his firearms permit was taken away after the incident in Halifax.
The Crown told court Wright has strong support from his family and a hospital is where he belongs, not jail.
Wright is scheduled to be back in court on April 10.
