Cole Harbour man accused of murdering wife is fit to stand trial

A psychiatric assessment of a 77-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., man accused of murdering his wife in June has determined he is fit to stand trial.

Edmund Joseph Organ, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Judith Organ, 74, appeared briefly in Dartmouth provincial court Tuesday.

Defence lawyer Steve Degen told the court that a psychiatric assessment ordered by a judge shortly after Organ was charged has concluded he can stand trial. It also found he was not suffering from a mental disorder that would exempt him from criminal responsibility.

Judith Organ died on June 9 inside a home on Agincourt Crescent in Cole Harbour. RCMP said at the time that police were called to the residence by a man who said he’d killed a woman.

Edmund Organ is scheduled for a bail hearing Friday. A date for a preliminary inquiry will be set in September.