The accused admitted pushing his father down a set of stairs inside the family’s northwest Calgary home in 2019 before stabbing him in the neck.
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Murder suspect Vincent Fong was capable of knowing his actions were wrong when he fatally stabbed his father, a jury was told Friday.
Psychologist Dr. Andrew Haag, called as a rebuttal witness by the Crown, said he assessed Fong for criminal responsibility more than two years after he killed his elderly father.
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Crown prosecutor Margot Engley asked the Edmonton-based doctor whether Fong, despite an array of mental health issues, would have appreciated what he was doing.
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“Did you come to any conclusion about Mr. Fong’s capacity to understand his actions were morally wrong?” Engley asked Haag.
“It was my opinion Mr. Fong had the capacity to engage in moral reasoning at the time of the offence,” Haag said.
“Mr. Fong had the capacity at the time of the alleged offence to know that his actions were wrong.”
Haag based his opinion on interviews with Fong beginning in April 2021, and a variety of other material made available to him.
He was called to reply to evidence from defence psychiatrist Dr. Oluyemisi Ajeh, who testified Thursday that Fong suffers from several mental health problems, including complex post-traumatic stress disorder related to prior abuse.
Ajeh did not testify about the accused’s capacity to understand right from wrong.
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Fong, 41, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 9, 2019, death of his father, Shu Kwan (Ken) Fong, 70.
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The accused admitted pushing his father down a set of stairs inside the family’s northwest Calgary home before stabbing him in the neck.
Fong said he believed his father was dead by that time, but because he wasn’t 100 per cent sure, he also tried to cut off his head.
The accused said he was afraid of his father, who on previous occasions had assaulted him and on the day in question called him a derogatory name in Chinese.
Fong said he also tried to move out of the home “to get away from my dad.”
Haag noted that following the killing Fong asked his family support worker, Lone Jensen, and a police officer whether his father was dead.
“He asked two separate individuals if his father was indeed dead,” the doctor said in reaching his conclusion.
“He had the capacity to understand what was happening.”
Before adjourning the case to Monday, Court of King’s Bench Justice Paul Jeffrey told the 11-member jury (one was dismissed earlier by the judge) that they have the option of accepting or rejecting any of the expert evidence they heard from three witnesses.
Jurors are expected to hear final submissions on Monday before being given legal instructions by Jeffrey before beginning deliberations.
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