Attorney General to announce details about counselling services for jurors

Ontario's Attorney General, Yasir Naqvi, is set to make an announcement about a support program for jurors Tuesday afternoon in Hamilton. 

A representative from the Attorney General's office confirmed Monday that the announcement will include details about the program and the counseling services for jurors who suffer post-traumatic stress due to evidence they've seen and heard during trials. 

The province announced it would set up a free support service geared towards those traumatized by their time in court, following a CBC Toronto exclusive from last fall. 

• Former juror Mark Farrant 'grateful' for new counselling support services

• Ex-juror diagnosed with PTSD says psychiatric help should be available after trials

• 'It's still a nightmare': The case of jurors released with PTSD and little or no help after verdict

Mark Farrant, 44, an ex-juror from a first-degree murder trial in 2014, spoke to CBC Toronto about his experience in October 2016. 

He was the jury foreman when a Toronto man was found guilty of stabbing his girlfriend to death and setting their home on fire. Farrant was diagnosed with PTSD after the trial.

"You might be in a conversation with somebody and you just start to cry," Farrant told CBC Toronto. "You're just crying for no reason and you're shaking for no reason."

Farrant tried to work through the issues on his own for months, until his immediate family insisted he seek help. He said he started by calling the courts and social services for psychological help.

But Ontario doesn't offer any assistance unless ordered by a judge.

Not long after CBC Toronto told Farrant's story, the provincial government announced it would find ways to give support and councilling to traumatized juros.

The announcement by the attorney general is set to happen at 2.p.m at the Hamilton Law Association Library in the John Sopinka Courthouse.