A Decade Later: The Push for Freedom

In a notable legal saga, Alberta's top court is currently deliberating on whether Matthew de Grood, the man who infamously stabbed five individuals to death at a 2014 house party, should be granted more freedom from his current supervised care.

A Troubling Past Yet a Hopeful Future?

During the court session, de Grood's lawyer, Jacqueline Petrie, passionately argued that her client has made significant progress and deserves to be treated according to the recommendations of his treatment team. She asserted that the Alberta Criminal Code Review Board continues to view him as a threat, seemingly stuck in the past without recognizing his current status.

"That was then. This is now," Petrie told a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal of Alberta. "The board is putting on blinders."

The Night of Horror

Matthew de Grood was just 22 when he committed the horrific crime, believing he was battling mythical creatures like Medusas and werewolves for a higher cause. After being diagnosed with schizophrenia, he was deemed not criminally responsible and placed in a psychiatric facility.

Public Safety Concerns

Petrie contended that de Grood is a low-risk individual, emphasizing that his mental health professionals do not view him as dangerous. Currently, he can spend up to two weeks at a time with his parents in Calgary, a privilege she seeks to make a permanent arrangement.

Upcoming Challenges

However, his stay at a group home is ending, pushing de Grood back to his parents until he faces the review board again later in November. In previous hearings, the board classified him as a "significant risk to public safety," a label Petrie challenges vigorously. She previously alleged that political interference from former justice minister Doug Schweitzer may have influenced the board's decisions.

Victims’ Families Speak Out

Families of the victims remain staunchly opposed to any proposals for de Grood's release or increased freedoms, a sentiment likely to loom large in the court's ultimate decision.