Bed rolled into court for attacker's hearing
An Edmonton man left the hospital for the first time in four years Wednesday, determined to attend a court hearing that could determine the fate of the man who left him unable to walk, talk or even sit up.
Dougald Miller's wife, Lesley Miller, says her husband's appearance at the dangerous offender hearing amounted to his victim impact statement. The 65-year-old man lay in a modified hospital bed throughout the court session, covered by a blanket and occasionally moaning in apparent anger.
"I think this is what Dougald's been waiting for. I think this is why he's come through as much as he's come through," Lesley Miller said. "Because he wants this man put away."
In November 2000, Miller found Leo Teskey sleeping in the hallway of an apartment building Miller managed and asked him to leave.
Teskey savagely beat Miller, leaving him with severe brain damage and tearing off his ear, then robbed his apartment and stole his car.
He was later arrested and convicted of aggravated assault for the attack.
Final arguments have now begun at a hearing to determine whether Teskey, now 34, should be declared a dangerous offender.
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If the Crown's application to have Teskey declared a dangerous offender succeeds, he would serve an indefinite sentence behind bars, and additional conditions would be placed on any release.
During the dangerous offender hearing, the judge was told that Teskey is a psychopath with an antisocial personality disorder and poses a high risk to reoffend.
He has almost 40 convictions, including one for shooting at a police officer and another for maiming the two-year-old son of a former girlfriend.
Lesley Miller said she thinks Teskey should spend the rest of his life in jail.
"And I mean life. I don't mean a life sentence. I mean for the rest of his life. The public has to be protected from him," she said.
The judge will rule on the case on Dec. 17.