Accused Abbotsford killer Gabriel Klein claimed he saw ‘monsters,’ psychiatrist testifies – BC

Warning: Some of the details of this story are disturbing.

Testimony from a psychiatrist at the Gabriel Klein murder trial is raising questions about the focus of his defence.

Surrey Memorial Hospital ER psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Saffy assessed Klein four days after the fatal 2016 stabbing of 13-year-old Letisha Reimer at Abbotsford Senior Secondary.

Saffy testified that she spoke to Klein, who told her that he went to the community library attached to the school.

Klein said he saw two girls, squinted his eyes and then “saw two monsters.”

He walked towards them with his knife hidden. Klein said one of the girls looked like a “grey owl” and the other a “shape-shifting witch,” Saffy testified.

Globalnews.ca coverage of the Gabriel Klein trial

He said he heard voices that said, “Kill, kill, kill.”

Klein told the doctor he stabbed the “first girl over and over again and then moved over to the second girl. She took the knife out of his hand and was surprised at that point and then realized they were not monsters but girls.”

The doctor, however, said there were also inconsistencies in what he told her.

Klein said psychosis had been caused by cannabis laced with methamphetamine, then claimed it wasn’t the drugs.

Saffy believed his shaking episodes were not seizures and his hallucinations didn’t fit with psychosis behaviour.

Defence questioned the doctor’s assessment, bringing up parts of Klein’s medical history that she was not aware of.

Defence is expected to argue that Klein is not criminally responsible for reason of mental disorder.

Another psychiatrist is expected to take the stand on Wednesday.