By Canadian Press

Crown opts for direct indictment for Quebec City Halloween night stabbing suspect

Jun 18, 2021 | 10:54 AM

QUEBEC — Prosecutors in the case of the Quebec City Halloween night stabbing attack that killed two people filed a direct indictment today against the accused.

It means the case against 25-year-old Carl Girouard will skip the preliminary hearing stage and go straight to trial.

Girouard, of Ste-Thérèse, Que., is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder after a man dressed in a medieval costume and wielding a Japanese-style sword went on a rampage last Oct. 31 in Quebec City’s historic district.

Two residents, 56-year-old Francois Duchesne and 61-year-old Suzanne Clermont, were killed, and five others were seriously injured.

The accused made a brief court appearance by video today before Quebec court Judge Jean Asselin from the detention centre in Quebec City, and his case will return to court Sept. 7.

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Prosecutor François Godin filed the direct indictment, telling the court he’d informed defence lawyer Pierre Gagnon ahead of time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press