Ray Irwin, the 33-year-old Langdale man who is charged with the second-degree murder of his mother, appeared calm and rational during a brief court hearing in Sechelt Provincial Court March 9.
Several friends of Irwin were in court but no family members. One friend said Irwin's wife Ami is staying with her brother in the U.S.
Irwin did not attend the hearing in person. He instead appeared on a video conferencing system, which allowed him to hear and see what was happening in the Sechelt courtroom.
The hearing was Irwin's first court appearance since Feb. 9, when he was ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment at the Forensic Psychiatric Institute (FPI) in Port Coquitlam to determine whether he is fit to stand trial and whether he was not criminally responsible by reason of a mental disorder. That psychiatric assessment is now complete, and it recommends that Irwin should remain committed at FPI. The rest of the report's conclusions were not revealed in court.
Police found the body of Irwin's mother, 53-year-old Mary Richards, on a logging road in Roberts Creek Feb. 8. During Irwin's first appearance in court Feb. 9, he appeared very irrational, making wild statements and gestures and calling himself "King Richard." Last week, when Irwin appeared on the courtroom TV dressed neatly in a white shirt and black slacks, he seemed much calmer. He soberly thanked Judge Dan Moon for arranging to have him transferred from jail to FPI and asked that he be moved to a different ward now that his assessment is complete.
"The remand area is designed for a 30-day stay," said Irwin. "Please, on my behalf, ask that I be moved to another area of the same facility."
Irwin's lawyer, Jerome Williams, said he would bring up the issue with the staff of FPI.
"FPI should move him to the next appropriate place," said Williams.
In court, Crown prosecutor Trevor Cockfield provided Williams with a copy of the psychiatric assessment, as well as a computer disk containing all the evidence police have gathered so far. The police investigation is continuing, and many of the forensic lab results are not yet complete.
Moon set a date of April 13 for Irwin's next court appearance. Irwin will again appear by video.
Williams said he might raise the issue of whether second-degree murder is the appropriate charge in this case.
"There may be some litigation over that," said Williams. "It's just starting."
