Dad charged with attempted murder of 11-month-old son gets 30-day extension on psych assessment (Calgary, Canada)

We've posted on UNNAMED DAD before. Now he's getting a 30-day extension on his psychiatric assessment. And the Fathers Rights people tell us that only moms play the mental health card....

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/energy-resources/Judge+wants+assessment+father+charged+baby+slashing/5450517/story.html
Judge wants assessment for father charged in baby slashing

By Daryl Slade, Calgary Herald September 23, 2011

A judge has ordered a 30-day extension to a psychiatric assessment for a 32-year-old father charged with attempted murder in the slashing attack on his 11-month-old son.

Provincial court Judge John Bascom made the order on Friday for the extended assessment after both defence lawyer Alain Hepner and Crown prosecutor Margot Engley agreed it should be done.

Hepner said he was contacted by forensic psychiatrist Dr. David Tano, who requested the additional time.

“They haven’t completed the psychiatric assessment,” Hepner said outside court. “It’s quite comprehensive, given the circumstances of my client and the background of the case.”

Hepner said his client, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the child, has been co-operative with staff at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre.

“He’s in a hospital setting and it’s not comfortable to be in that setting, but he’s got to buck up and do right,” Hepner added.

The lawyer could not say how the boy is doing, but noted the mother has been in court, and his condition “will come out in due course.”

Police said they arrived at the family bungalow on Aug. 13 and found the boy in the kitchen bleeding from “substantial” knife slashes to the throat and belly.

They said the father was upset when he called 911 about 4:15 a.m. and, when authorities arrived, the man was arrested without incident.

The baby was taken to Alberta Children’s Hospital and is expected to fully recover.

Police have said the 26-year-old mother lives in the home, but wasn’t in the residence when the baby was attacked.

The father will be back in court on Nov. 1.