A young woman who allegedly stabbed her own mother to death last month in the Parc Extension accommodation they shared was eventually charged with murder while experts continue to examine her criminal responsibility.
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Amel Benali will officially appear at the Montreal courthouse on Wednesday to be charged with the second-degree murder of Luiza Ouali.
The sad event happened in mid-February in an apartment on rue de Liège Ouest in Montreal. According to previous knowledge, the 54-year-old victim had been stabbed, but the murder had not been reported to the police.
In fact, authorities only made the grisly discovery on February 19 after calls for a standoff between Benali and a neighbor. During the argument, Benali is said to have stabbed the man in the collarbone, prompting the woman to be arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
However, upon inspecting the premises, patrol officers discovered the body of Ms. Ouali, aged 54. The traces of violence made the murder theory clear. And following the investigation, the Crown is now convinced that Benali is the perpetrator of the murder.
Criminal Liability
However, it remains to be seen whether the defendant can be held criminally responsible for the crimes she is accused of. According to our information, Benali has a psychiatric history and would suffer from schizophrenia.
In a first appearance in connection with the aggravated assault, the defense had requested a psychiatric assessment from the National Institute of Forensic Psychiatry Philippe-Pinel. The report was due today, but due to delays, experts were unable to prepare it on time.
Once the appearance is made, Benali will return to court for further trials in the coming weeks. Until then, she remains in protective custody.