(File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Trial Continues

Cochin-area homicide case continues

Dec 18, 2020 | 4:48 PM

Psychiatrist Dr. O. Alabi saw the accused, Joshua Tucker, at the Battlefords Mental Health Centre at Battlefords Union Hospital May 31, 2018, after Joshua visited the RCMP asking for help.

Joshua Tucker previously pleaded not guilty to the charge of second degree murder in the death of his adopted father, Gordon Tucker, who was found deceased May 31, 2018, at his farm property southeast of Cochin.

Alabi told the Court of Queen’s Bench in Battleford Thursday he received information before seeing him that Joshua has a history of non compliance with medications, and has an extensive history of addiction problems. Joshua had also been seen at Battlefords Mental Health Centre prior to that date.

Alabi said he planned for Joshua to stay 72 hours for a psychiatric assessment during the visit, but police came and took Joshua away so there was not enough time to proceed.

Alabi said he was aware Joshua is known to take drugs which he was concerned about.

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“I asked him directly if he has been using drugs and he denied that,” Alabi told the court.

When the Defence counsel asked if Joshua could have been lying, Alabi said he would not know that.

Alabi told the court Joshua was vague and appeared perplexed when he spoke to him.

“He was paranoid,” he said. “That was one of the reasons why I decided to admit him.”

Alabi also thought Joshua was psychotic at the time. Joshua told him he believed people were coming after him on the farm, and were threatening.

When speaking to the Crown prosecutor about some common drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine, Alabi said sometimes people predisposed to developing a psychotic disorder will have this type of response when they use these types of drugs.

Alabi said meth can cause paranoid delusions, beliefs that are out of the ordinary, more than hallucinations, which involve hearing voices or seeing things.

But he said some people can have hallucinations from meth as well.

He said crack cocaine can lead to hallucinations in people too.

There was also some discussion about how long drugs can stay in a person’s system.

Alabi said for drug-induced psychotic issues, once the drug is out of the system the symptoms leave. But if the symptoms don’t go away, it can mean a psychotic disorder is not drug-induced, and is a lasting disorder.

When the Crown asked the accused when he took the stand how often he used crack cocaine previously when he was taking the drug, Joshua said it was quite regular.

“Every time I got money I got it,” he said.

Joshua said he was not psychotic and did not experience hallucinations while taking cocaine.

He told the court he was not taking any drugs at the time of Gordon’s death.

He said he used meth only once before, about a month or two prior to the incident.

“I didn’t know it led to hallucinations,” he said. “It messed me up.” .

The Crown asked Joshua if he ever had situations in the past, prior to the current charge, when taking drugs, meth or cocaine, that he may have done “bad things,” and was “hazy.’

“I don’t do crimes when on stimulants,” he said. “I’m not that type of drug user.”

When asked if he now understands it was Gordon he shot May 30, 2018, not an imposter as he said he imagined when hearing voices, Joshua said, yes, he does know that now.

“I do regret it every day,” he said.

Joshua said he has since been prescribed medications from doctors for his mental health issues that he continues to take today, and is compliant.

“I feel normal now,” he said. “I hear voices still, but I know they are not real. I have to stay on medication for life.”

Joshua Tucker’s trial is expected to continue until next Wednesday.

–

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW