Cochrane woman charged with attempted murder of husband deemed unfit to stand trial
Posted Mar 30, 2024 11:08 am.
Last Updated Mar 30, 2024 2:43 pm.
A Cochrane woman suffering from dementia has been deemed unfit to stand trial for attempted murder due to her diagnosis.
In February, the 73-year-old was charged after her husband was found suffering a serious neck injury in their home the month prior.
Watch: Cochrane woman charged with attempted murder
She was then sent for psychiatric assessment, and on Thursday, multiple reports say a judge ruled she does not meet the medical criteria necessary to participate in a trial.
This is a decision that is made when an accused person is unable to comprehend court proceedings and is unable to effectively communicate with their legal representation.
Currently, Rhonda Campbell is being held at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre.
When she returns to court next month, the situation could be addressed under Alberta’s Mental Health Act, or it could go through the criminal code, through a finding of “not criminally responsible.”
The situation is similar to a case in 2016 when a psychologist deemed Siegfried van Zuiden unfit to stand trial.
He was charged with second-degree murder after he called 911 and police officers found his 80-year-old wife, Audrey, dead in their Calgary home.
Van Zuiden underwent two months of tests to assess his mental state and whether he understood the legal process. He died in 2019.
