Released psych reports show Calgary murderer faked mental illness in effort to derail trial

A Calgary murderer who faked a mental illness in an apparent attempt to derail his trial pretended to be brainwashed and affected by telepathy and made jerky movements with his body while under evaluation, according to reports just released by a judge.

Emanuel Kahsai, 32, was convicted by a jury on Wednesday of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his mother and a disabled woman she cared for. 

Before and throughout the trial, Kahsai had frequent nonsensical outbursts and had to be kept in a separate courtroom. 

• The full reports can be found at the bottom of this story. 

On Wednesday night, just before the jury reached its verdict, Justice Glen Poelman released redacted copies of three psychiatric reports prepared between August 2016 and December 2017, which found Kahsai had a clear "objective to be perceived as a severely mentally disordered individual."

Jurors were told little about Kahsai's bizarre behaviour, only that he had been found mentally fit to stand trial.

In each of the three reports, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Yuri Metelitsa wrote that Kahsai "demonstrated intentional production [of] false multiple psychological symptoms such as being brainwashed and affected by telepathy and telekinesis; feeling that his brain is affected through light, as well as to radio and TV; experience and jerky movements, and others."

"This type of Mr. Kahsai's behaviour should be qualified as malingering," said Metelitsa.

Selma Alem, 54, and Julie Tran, 25, were stabbed to death in Alem's home in October 2015; Kahsai had recently threatened to kill his mother and was under court order to stay away from her.

In a 2016 interview with CBC News from the Calgary Remand Centre, Kahsai said he understood a defence of not criminally responsible (NCR) by reason of mental illness could keep him out of prison. He also said he was told through telepathy that an NCR defence was the plan for him. 

The three psychiatric reports were conducted in July 2016, October 2016 and November 2017 at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre. 

During those weeks-long assessments, a team including Metelitsa, a forensic psychologist, social worker and other psych centre staff interviewed Kahsai, reviewed materials provided by Crown's office, progress notes from remand centre, looked at his AHS history and gathered information from friends and family members. They came to the same conclusion each time: Kahsai was faking his symptoms and was fit to stand trial.

'My headache is going away': prosecutor

Despite a coherent interview with police after his arrest in the hours after the victims' bodies were found, Kahsai began shouting and flailing during his court appearance in an apparent effort to derail the process. 

He would yell about telepathy, noxious gases, mind reading and other conspiracy theories. This behaviour continued during the trial to the point where Kahsai had to be kept in a separate courtroom where he could observe the proceedings but jurors could not hear or see him. 

"My headache is going away," said prosecutor Todd Buziak after the verdict. "It's something I've never dealt with in my 26 years."

• Emanuel Kahsai guilty of 1st-degree murder in deaths of mother, disabled woman

Poelman gave Kahsai — who was self-represented after firing his lawyer and refusing to hire a new one — numerous chances to behave and ask questions of witnesses. At times, a relevant comment or question would slip out before he would abandon his reasonableness for disruptive ramblings.

Kahsai also made extremely vulgar comments about his mother's private parts and shouted "murderer, cheater, liar," over and over again at the judge.

After the verdict, Buziak commented that Poelman, who remained calm but firm with the killer throughout the trial, demonstrated the "patience of Job" in dealing with Kahsai.

In fact, all parties — the jury, the judge, prosecutors Buziak and Matt Dalidowicz, defence lawyer Mark Takada (who acted as a "friend of the court" since Kahsai did not have a lawyer), the clerk, the court transcriber and the sheriffs — appeared poised and patient throughout the exasperating behaviour.

• Read the full psychiatric reports below. If you're on mobile and can't see them, click here