CALGARY 鈥� The lawyer for a Calgary man who fatally attacked a woman three years ago says there's no doubt his client was responsible for her death.
Michael Adenyi, 29, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of fitness instructor Vanessa Ladouceur on a downtown street.
The 30-year-old was walking to work in the early morning of March 18, 2022, when she was attacked and fatally stabbed.
Adenyi has said he was having hallucinations and believed he was attacking a creature when he assaulted the woman.
He said the creatures looked like lions, tigers and bears with mangled faces and that he had to attack or risk being killed.
Adenyi's mother testified during the trial that her son was taking hour-long showers to drown out the voices in his head.
The accused told the court that when he cut himself during the fatal attack, he was shocked back into reality and discovered the demonic creature was a person.
His lawyers are arguing he is not criminally responsible by reason of a medical disorder.
"We're not here for a moment trying to tell you Mr. Michael Adenyi did not cause the death of Vanessa Ladouceur," said his lawyer Kim Ross Thursday to the jury in final arguments.
"It is our respectful submission to you ladies and gentlemen of the jury that Mr. Michael Adenyi is not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder,"
Ross said his client has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.
On Monday, Calgary psychiatrist Dr. David Tano, who initially assessed that Adenyi was fit to stand trial in April 2022, told the court that he had concerns that the accused had an underlying psychotic illness.
"He talked about in the past hearing these whispers and these voices saying his name or telling him to kill himself or starve himself," Tano said.
"He also referred to visual hallucinations where he saw ghosts and people as well as himself."
Ross said Adenyi has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.
He said the case has been difficult for the jury, family members and lawyers to come to terms with.
"This trial has been in my respectful submission emotional and gut wrenching. For many of you it's probably the first glimpse into the criminal justice system."
Ross urged the jury to not leave their "common sense" behind when they deliberate his client's fate.
"At the end of the day you will have no trouble finding on the balance of probabilities that Michael Adenyi is not criminally responsible by way of a mental disorder."
The Crown was scheduled to deliver its final argument to the jury Thursday afternoon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
