A woman convicted in the violent death of Nina Courtepatte is more concerned about being in jail rather than feeling regret for the crime, a forensic psychiatrist said yesterday.
Dr. Alec Oskin told the woman’s sentencing hearing she also risks living a life of crime once she is released from prison.
The hearing will determine whether the woman, who was 17 at the time of Nina’s death, will be sentenced as an adult.
A decision is expected in the next few days.
“She talked about being mistreated in jail and that made her tear up more than her being asked about the offence,” said Oskin, who analyzed the now 20-year-old woman at Alberta Hospital for a risk assessment.
“There is little in the way of actual empathy for the victim herself, nothing indicating regrets for the death of individual.
“More so, it is regret that she’s still in jail, still incarcerated, that’s what struck me.”
Oskin says the accused wished she had joined up with some people that invited her to a party when she left West Edmonton Mall before the attack, “rather than ending up in the prison system.”
She was convicted of kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and manslaughter for her role in the bludgeoning death of 13-year-old Nina at a golf course west of Edmonton.
Oskin says the accused scored high on a test to see whether or not she was a psychopath, but was below the threshold for that designation.
The woman has participated in several courses on anger management while in prison, and has also completed her high school education.
Oskin says the woman desires to become a fashion consultant, but has no long-term plans to achieve her goal, which hurts her risk assessment.
The woman is one of five people who were charged in the grisly case. Joseph Laboucan and Michael Williams are now serving life sentences for their part in the crime.
Michael Briscoe, another person charged in the case, was acquitted and another person has yet to stand trial.
–jeff.cummings@metronews.ca
