Alzheimer's patient has charge suspended

A Winnipeg man with Alzheimer's disease who was put in jail for more than a month has had a charge of assaulting his wife suspended.

The Crown asked for and was granted a stay of proceedings for a charge of assault causing bodily harm Tuesday against Joe McLeod because the family did not want to see him prosecuted.

The stay means the charge against McLeod is suspended for a period of one year and can be reinstated at the Crown's discretion. It is also a tacit admission by the Crown that there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.

McLeod, 69, was accused of attacking his wife in their home Sept. 2, after becoming confused and not recognizing her.

McLeod's relatives said they initially pressed charges only because they thought it would help get McLeod into a nursing home.

Instead, McLeod ended up in the Winnipeg Remand Centre until Oct. 8 before space was found inside a local nursing home.

McLeod's daughter, Faye Jashyn, said her father is doing well now and the family is glad to have put the matter behind them.