After a murderer’s citywide rampage that began at 3 in the morning, a couple of experts agreed that Valdo Calocane was aware of his actions and was “not insane.” Calocane stabbed three people to death and attempted to kill three more.
Two consulting doctors presented these views during his sentencing hearing. It was determined that he was a “paranoid schizophrenic,” allowing him to escape a murder conviction and go to a hospital order instead.
Two mental health professionals had examined Valdo Calocane and reached the same conclusion: that he was experiencing paranoid schizophrenia during the commission of the crimes.
In addition to the brother of student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who thinks the triple-killer was ‘not psychotic’ during his spree, the two doctors who disagreed are likely to have caused the victims’ families anguish with their judgments.
Last year, on June 13, Calocane murdered Grace, Barnaby Webber, a fellow student at the University of Nottingham, and Ian Coates, a school caretaker, all of whom were 19 or older.
The 32-year-old was sentenced for the homicides and the attempted murder of three more by Mr. Justice Turner on Thursday. Turner added that the defendant would most likely spend the rest of his life in a federal prison.
Following November’s concerns raised by victim families on the CPS’s intention to accept a reduced responsibility plea, the prosecution sought the opinion of psychiatrist Dr. Richard Latham regarding Calocane’s mental state.
Although he reviewed the reports of three psychiatrists who had interviewed the murderer, Dr. Latham did not conduct his interview with him. Reportedly, he shared his opinions.
The prosecution’s findings by forensic psychiatrist Professor Nigel Blackwood mostly agreed with the defense’s two psychiatric reports that found Calocane’s blame to be lessened owing to schizophrenia.
The killer could not use murder due to insanity as a complete defense, according to Professor Blackwood. He reasoned that he was not completely mad when the attacks occurred; thus, he should be held somewhat responsible, he added.
In light of the victims’ families’ outcry over the terrible case’s handling, the attorney general is contemplating whether the courts should review the sentence.
