The family of a Nova Scotia man, who killed three of his family members but was found not criminally responsible due to untreated schizophrenia, say they feel “victimized” by the justice system.
“I just want things to change so that we don’t have to keep going through this. It seems like we’re being more victimized than we have to — more pain brought upon us than it has to. And we’re not the ones who made this pain come to be,” Chandler Hennigar said.
Chandler’s brother, Codey Hennigar, admitted to killing his mother and maternal grandparents in January 2015.
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He suffered from untreated schizophrenia and as a result, was found not criminally responsible. He’s lived in the East Coast Forensics Hospital in Dartmouth ever since.
His fate lies in the hands of the Nova Scotia Criminal Code Review Board. The board handles hearings that determine whether Hennigar should be granted increased access to the outside world.
Hearings are typically held at the East Coast Forensics Hospital, but due to an “unusual amount” of public interest, the public was placed in a room at the Nova Scotia Hospital, where the only engagement they had with the hearing was through a video link.
Chandler Hennigar says he was disappointed with the board’s decision to hold the hearing at a location where members of the family were unable to attend in person.
“I don’t feel it was fair that they put us through video link when it states that we have a right to be there. It’s supposed to be a public hearing.”
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Despite the hearing placing emotional strain on the family, Chandler feels it’s still the family’s right to be in the same room as the procedure. “Maybe it’s the system that’s the problem, that needs to be changed. So that it’s actually benefiting the people who have been harmed from this,” he said.
The board agreed to the crown’s request to adjourn the hearing until a larger space with increased security can be decided upon.