Mental health assessment complete for son charged in mother's death

The mental health assessment for a man charged with murdering his mother and trying to bury her body in his Halifax backyard is complete.

But lawyers in the case of Ryan Richard Lamontagne told a Halifax provincial court judge on Monday they needed more time to assess the document.

Lamontagne, on remand at the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth, appeared by video link. His case is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 17.

The 26-year-old man is charged with second-degree murder and indignity to human remains in the death of his mother, Linda Lamontagne, in October at a home on Willow Street.

Crown attorney Mark Heerema said he only received the 60-day mental health assessment, which was conducted by a psychiatrist, over the weekend. 

Heerema said the purpose of the assessment was to examine whether Lamontagne is fit to stand trial.

"Fitness, in Canada, refers to both being physically and mentally present for your proceeding," Heerema said outside of court.

He said the psychiatrist was also tasked with giving an opinion on whether Lamontagne was criminally responsible.

"The live issue I think before the court would be whether he was criminally responsible at the time of the alleged incident, and that is an issue that would have to be determined by a trier of fact, which in this case would be a jury," said Heerema.

Brad Sarson told the court he has been retained as Lamontagne's lawyer.