French psychiatrist convicted of murder for failing to recognise danger of patient
French psychiatrist Danièle Canarelli, 58, was convicted of murder and handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay 8,500 (£6,920) in damages by a Marseille court on Tuesday, for her "blindness" and inability to properly assess the danger posed by her patient, Joel Gaillard, 43.
"We aren't saying that they (psychiatrists) can't possibly be responsible," but "we say that in this particular, special case, there was no error and therefore, no responsibility," said Ms Canarelli's lawyer, Sylvain Pontier, speaking to the Daily Telegraph.
Mr Pontier reiterated that the court's decision would have a serious impact on psychiatry in general, because psychiatrists who treat similar patients will now "risk modifying their behaviour if they are afraid of being convicted."
He said other psychiatrists have already told him their patients are "very worried" about harsher treatment following the court decision, and have told them: "You will try to protect yourselves before trying to heal us."
The French judge who led the case, Fabrice Castoldi, tried to emphasise the decision was not an attack on the profession, but concerned one particular psychiatrist's negligence.
Due to the increasing number of Gaillard's violent incidents, including arson, attempted murder, and a knife attack, plus the long length of time he was under Ms Canarelli's watch, she should have transferred the patient to a more specialised medical team and facility, said judges in their ruling. Instead, she, "persisted in her therapeutic approach while neglecting the multiple and concurring opinions of her colleagues," they said. She "underestimated," and "minimised previous incidents," added the court, and was "incapable of making a diagnosis."
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