Veltman murder trial: Here’s what you need to know before day 34

WARNING: The video and the details in this article may be disturbing to some viewers

After two days of legal discussions, the defence resumed its case on Thursday with a forensic psychiatrist testifying to the mental state of accused Nathaniel Veltman on the night a London, Ont. Muslim family was killed.

Here’s what you missed.

 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THURSDAY?

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Julian Gojer returned to the witness box Thursday afternoon in a Windsor, Ont. courtroom in the ongoing trial of Nathaniel Veltman.

Gojer told the jury Veltman’s description of his state of mind being in a “dream-like state” at the time of the attack on the Afzaal family is indicative of him focusing on his obsessions and not fully considering the consequences of his actions.

Court has heard at the time, Veltman had strong far-right views about the world, including his belief that mainstream media was not reporting on “minority on white” person crimes.

Veltman testified when he saw groups of Muslims — first in Toronto and then in London — he managed to resist his urge to hit them with his truck. But on the night of June 6, 2021, Veltman said he saw the Afzaal family and the urge to “step on the gas” was stronger than the first two times, and he “crashed into them” by “putting the pedal to the metal.”

Veltman testified he felt if he acted on his urges, all his thoughts about harming Muslims would go away.

“I felt it would all just go away if I stepped on the gas [of his truck],” Veltman testified.

Gojer told the jury Thursday he believes Veltman was "focusing only on his obsessions and not on the consequences of his actions,” and described the thoughts as “narrow vision.”

At the same time, Gojer testified the fact Veltman convinced himself hitting the young boy was “collateral damage” is indicative of “a certain degree of awareness for the consequences of his actions.”

Defence lawyer Christopher Hicks asked Gojer to opine on Veltman’s state of mind while he wrote his manifesto, but the judge and Crown attorneys both objected, and said that was beyond the psychiatrist’s expert opinion.

Hicks then moved onto the issue of psilocybin usage. Veltman has admitted to consuming three grams around 3 a.m. on June 5, 2021, the day before the attack.

Gojer told the jury the intoxication phase for psilocybin is “generally” six hours but it can last between four to eight hours. He also testified there are “rare but reported” research papers that deal with adverse or linger effects of psilocybin consumption that can last for “days, weeks or months,” and could “trigger” a mental illness.

Late Thursday Hicks told the judge he was nearly done his examination in chief but wanted to conclude Friday.

 

WHAT IS EXPECTED IN COURT ON FRIDAY?

The trial will resume at 10 a.m. on Friday.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK ONE

The murder trial of 22-year-old Nathaniel Veltman officially got underway in a Windsor courtroom more than two years after he allegedly drove into five members of the Afzaal family in London, killing four of them, in what’s been called a hate motivated attack.

Week one saw jury selection get underway and a reduction in the length of the trial after negotiations between the Crown and the defence.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK TWO

Week two of trial heard testimony from a cab driver, 9-1-1 dispatcher, a witness to the attack, and a detective from the London Police Service who interviewed the accused.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK THREE

Testimony was heard during week three from officers who were the first to arrive on the scene of the attack, the parking lot where Veltman was arrested, and the jury saw video surveillance and testimony from the detective who was the first to interview the accused.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK FOUR

During the fourth week of the trial, the jury heard testimony from forensic investigators who examined the apartment and pickup truck of the accused in the days after the attack and from the arresting officer.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK FIVE

The prosecution rested its case during the fifth week of the trial after calling a digital forensic expert with the Windsor Police Service and reading to the jury excerpts of Veltman’s manifesto.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK SIX

During a shortened sixth week of the trial due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the jury heard from the accused who took the stand as the defence’s first witness. The court heard about Veltman’s state of mind, his upbringing and childhood, and his history of suicidal thoughts and drug use.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK SEVEN

During week seven the accused took the stand in his own defence and underwent cross examination by the Crown, where he admitted to running down five members of the Afzaal family with his truck.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK EIGHT

The accused concluded his testimony while the defence brought in their second witness, a forensic psychiatrist during the eighth week of the trial.

 

THE JUNE 6, 2021 ATTACK

On June 6, 2021 five members of the Afzaal family were out for a summer walk along Hyde Park Road in west London when they were run down by a pickup truck in what police allege was a hate motivated attack.

Four people died, including father Salman, mother Madiha, 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and grandmother Talat. The lone survivor was a nine-year-old boy who was injured, and has since recovered. He is now living with relatives.

Moments after the crash, London police arrested and charged Nathaniel Veltman, now 22 years of age. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

— With files from CTV News London's Nick Paparella and CTV News Windsor's Michelle Maluske