A neurologist who examined Regis Korchinski-Paquet’s records after her death says it would be “nearly impossible” to determine that someone is acting aggressively due to delirium or psychosis after an epilepsy seizure without knowing their medical history.
Dr. Julien Hébert told a coroner’s inquest today that agitated or aggressive behaviour stemming from postictal delirium or psychosis is “indistinguishable” from the same behaviour from other causes, and it would be extremely difficult for a lay person to tell them apart.
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Hébert was the first witness to be called at the inquest, which comes more than six years after Korchinski-Paquet fell to her death from a Toronto balcony while police were in her home.
He faced additional questions today from lawyers representing Korchinski-Paquet’s family, the Black Legal Action Centre, and others who have standing at the inquest.
Hébert said Tuesday that in the years preceding her death, Korchinski-Paquet on several occasions showed symptoms in keeping with postictal delirium or postictal psychosis, both mental states that can occur after seizures.
The inquest heard Korchinski-Paquet had a long history of seizures from epilepsy, often followed by confusion, aggressive behaviour and temporary amnesia.
She had two seizures the morning of the day she died.
The inquest was announced earlier this year and is slated to last 14 days.
Korchinski-Paquet’s mother, father and brother have been named as potential witnesses, as have five of the six police officers who attended the scene.
The inquest will show one less welfare recipient in a family of dead wood. That the family all contributed to lies about what really happended and angered the city.