The lawyer for a woman accused of fatally stabbing a stranger in a downtown Toronto underground drugstore says he was fired Wednesday.
Rohinie Bisesar, 41, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Rosemarie Junor after police said she stabbed her at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Toronto’s popular underground PATH network of shops and restaurants on Dec. 11.
Police claim Bisesar entered the store and “stabbed the victim without provocation.” Junor died several days later and Bisesar was the subject of a manhunt before her arrest.
READ MORE: Suspect in unprovoked fatal Toronto stabbing ordered to undergo mental health assessment
On Wednesday, Bisesar appeared in a specialized mental health court in front of Justice Beverly A. Brown at Toronto’s Old City Hall courthouse. Due to a publication ban, details of the hearing cannot be reported on.
Calvin Barry said he was discharged as her legal counsel and a report on Bisesar’s mental fitness was submitted to the court by a psychiatrist from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
“People can be unrepresented, despite mental illnesses looming — speaking generally — and if somebody wants to discharge you than that’s their prerogative,” Barry told reporters outside the courthouse.
“Sometimes people make up and get back on the rails but that’s basically, generally speaking, if you can’t receive instructions then that’s a reason why you can apply to remove yourself of counsel anywhere in the province.”
READ MORE: Woman accused in unprovoked fatal downtown Toronto stabbing hospitalized: lawyer
Barry said it would not be appropriate to comment on the findings of the psychiatrist’s assessment, as he is no longer Bisesar’s legal counsel.
“Generally fitness is something that can can come in and out and has to be basically looked at and reviewed on an ongoing basis in some cases,” Barry said, adding that many of the judges and prosecutors in the specialized court have training in mental health issues.
“So it’s going to have to unravel itself in the court and I hope it all works out good for all the participants in this matter.”
Last month, one of Bisesar’s former lawyers told reporters that a guard from the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton, Ont. informed the court that Bisesar had been hospitalized.
WATCH: Lawyer for woman accused in PATH stabbing says she’s like a ‘deer in headlights’
David Burke said it was unclear why Bisesar was sent to hospital or even what hospital she was located at. He added that lawyers had been visiting with her regularly in the time leading up to her court appearance.
Bisesar also appeared erratic during an earlier video appearance in court in April and allegedly made references to terrorism and national security.
She was known to frequent the Financial District prior to her arrest and her LinkedIn page claimed she was a financial advisor and investor in Toronto.
The profile also states she has an MBA in finance, a BAS in general management, a BSc in molecular biology, a certificate in mining and a Canadian Securities Course certification.
Barry said he expected it would take several days before a new lawyer could be appointed for Bisesar.
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