A 29 year old North Battleford man charged with 2nd Degree Murder in the death of his adopted father has been found not criminally responsible.

On Thursday, a judge at North Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench announced his ruling. The body of 59 year old Gordon Tucker was found in May 0f 2018, on a rural property southeast of Cochin.  Joshua Tucker was charged in June of that year. The judge ordered a psychiatric assessment at that time.

According to Canada’s Department of Justice website, people who commit criminal acts under the influence of mental illnesses should not be held criminally responsible for their acts or omissions in the same way that sane, responsible people are.  No person should be convicted of a crime if he or she was legally insane at the time of the offence.  This verdict does not mean an acquittal.  The judge will now have to make a decision on whether there should be an absolute discharge, a conditional discharge or a detention in custody in a hospital.