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Ontario killer remains free, despite board’s fears of ‘significant threat’
A much-convicted, 71-year-old schizophrenic man now free after brutally strangling a cellmate remains “a significant threat to the safety of the public,” according to a new ruling that singles out his unauthorized use of marijuana for concern.
George Veerman of Hamilton, Ont., was released in 2015, seven years after being found not criminally responsible for the murder, and now lives with his brother.
But Veerman “remains incapable of consenting to psychiatric treatment. He is treated with a long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication every 14 days and 350 mg of Clozapine nightly,” said a decision from the Ontario Review Board (ORB).
“His insight into his mental illness and the need for treatment remains extremely limited, and there is a recent emerging concern regarding cannabis use.”
Veerman was being held at the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre on charges of robbery and breach of probation when he killed his cellmate on Oct. 19, 2004.
“Mr. Veerman dragged his cellmate out of his lower bunk and wrapped a white towel around his neck. Mr. Veerman pulled on each end of the towel until the circulation of blood was cut off from the victim’s brain,” said the June 5 decision from the independent tribunal that regularly reviews the status of individuals found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
“The victim was pronounced dead the next day. The post-mortem examination cited preliminary findings on the cause of death as ‘consistent with ligature strangulation, no trauma to the body.’”
Veerman — who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia compounded by various substance abuse disorders — was found not criminally responsible for second-degree murder in February 2008.
A single man born in the Dutch Indies who immigrated to Canada with his family when he was 12, he has been under a conditional discharge since February 2019, under orders not to smoke marijuana, report to hospital monthly and undergo drug testing.
In its new ruling, the ORB found that Veerman “continues to represent a significant threat to public safety,” and “concluded that the necessary and appropriate disposition, which is also the least onerous and least restrictive in the circumstances, is a continuation of the existing conditional discharge.”
Veerman started drinking at 17, said the decision. “His alcohol use was followed by a long history of polysubstance abuse including use of cannabis, cocaine, and various inhalants.”
Veerman has a “lengthy criminal history” spanning from 1976 until 2004, said the decision. “It includes more than 20 convictions, including seven for assault, six for robbery and theft-related offences, and others for mischief and failure to comply.”
Veerman was sentenced to two years less a day for aggravated assault in 1988. He got a 30-month penitentiary sentence for the robbery charge he was on remand for when he strangled his cellmate.
After being found not criminally responsible, Veerman “was an inpatient at Oakridge in Penetanguishene” until November 2011, when he was transferred to a Hamilton hospital.
He was discharged in October 2015 to live with his mother, said the decision. She died last year and his brother took over as his substitute decision maker, living with Veerman in the family home.
After her death, “there was a noticeable withdrawal from previously tolerated activities and community participation,” the ORB panel said. According to his hospital report, Veerman “continues to demonstrate only partial insight into his illness and the need for ongoing treatment.”
In March, Veerman told staffers at the Forensic Outpatient Clinic he had smoked a joint the night before.
“He reported that it was precipitated by ‘curiosity’ and he was ‘just relaxing.’ When asked about his frequency of use, Mr. Veerman reported ‘not very often.’ When the case manager followed up with him, Mr. Veerman denied engaging in further cannabis use.”
Veerman tested positive in April for marijuana, and admitted some use. His brother said he had no idea Veerman had been using, but Veerman told the ORB both men smoked cannabis.
The ORB noted Veerman complained of being tired, missed a required appointment and resisted blood tests, and found that he needed to be monitored “to assess his risk to the public.”
In the meantime, it said, he isn’t ready for an absolute discharge.
“Veerman continues to require structure and oversight to maintain psychiatric stability and public safety. This is especially true at the current time given that new concerns have arisen with Mr. Veerman’s use of cannabis. It was clear that this was a new development, and the treatment team needs to monitor Mr. Veerman very closely to determine whether it is a pattern of consistent use, and how it affects his mental status and physical health.
“The panel also had concerns that Mr. Veerman and his brother were not being transparent with the treatment team, and this should also be taken into account moving forward.”
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