Sentencing hearing begins for N.S. youth accused in school stabbing that injured two
CTV
A sentencing hearing began Wednesday for the youth charged in a knife attack at a Halifax-area high school in March 2023.
A sentencing hearing began Wednesday for the youth charged in a knife attack at a Halifax-area high school in March 2023.
The youth, who is now 16-years-old, was originally charged with two-counts of attempted murder but has since pleaded guilty to two-counts of aggravated assault.
A court order is banning the publication of any information that could identify the youth and any details of the testimony from the forensic child psychologist who took the witness stand Wednesday morning.
The judge said the publication ban on the doctor’s testimony was needed to protect the privacy and health information of the youth and his family and to not interfere in the rehabilitation process of the young person.
“There are no reasonable alternatives to the publication ban,” said Judge Elizabeth Buckle.
Dr. Jose Mejia, a forensic psychologist at the IWK, was the first to testify at the sentencing hearing and shared details from his report and conversations he shared with the youth.
Mejia described his clinical interactions with the teenager, who he has met with more than 20 times since the stabbing incident that occurred at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford, N.S., last year.
