Psychologist testifies that accused in Starbucks stabbing suffered delusions

A forensic psychologist testified Wednesday at the trial of the man accused of stabbing Paul Schmidt to death outside a Vancouver Starbucks.

A forensic psychologist who testified at the second-degree murder trial of Inderdeep Singh Gosal says the accused has suffered from paranoid delusions and an impending sense of doom at various times in his adult life.

After reviewing Gosal’s medical records and the evidence in the case, and interviewing Gosal about his mental health history and the fateful moments that led to Paul Schmidt’s death, Johann Brink told the court he diagnosed Gosal with a form of schizophrenia.

Gosal and Schmidt did not know each other prior to engaging in a verbal altercation outside the Starbucks at the corner of West Pender and Granville streets on March 26, 2023.

Schmidt then approached Gosal and the two began to fight.

The court has heard Schmidt died as a result of six stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Called by Gosal’s defence, Brink testified that, in his opinion, Gosal’s antipsychotic medications were prescribed in too low of a dose to control his delusions.

Gosal himself took the stand earlier in the trial and told the court he had actually stopped taking the medications.

“When he was off medicine, he lived in a constant of fear and suspicion and bewilderment,” Brink said about Gosal.

He said Gosal often thought groups of crows were talking to him, heard voices speaking directly to him through the television and had other auditory hallucinations.

Brink said those delusions fed Gosal’s paranoia and fear for his safety.

According to Brink, during his interview with Gosal, he was told the accused only had a partial memory of the fight.

“I think that he was more likely than not made to believe he was in serious peril, and the victim attacked him in a manner that made him believe he was very likely to be injured—and hence, that he had to defend himself,” Brink testified.

The psychologist is scheduled to return to the stand on Thursday and Friday.

According to Gosal’s defence, a finding of manslaughter would be more appropriate than second-degree murder, given the facts in the case.