N.S. man accused of 2nd-degree murder found not criminally responsible
A Dartmouth Man Found Not Criminally Responsible for Murder in Dispute Over Loud Music
John Edward Adams, a Dartmouth man, has been found not criminally responsible for the murder of his neighbour, Ryan Lindsay, in a dispute over loud music. Adams admitted to killing Lindsay on March 4, 2022, stating that he was hearing voices at the time of the incident. Lindsay, 32, was fatally stabbed multiple times in the hallway outside his apartment in Dartmouth.
Adams, who was 36 at the time of the attack, told police and psychiatrists that he felt “empowered” by telepathic messages he was receiving, although the voices did not explicitly instruct him to kill his neighbour. Two psychiatrists provided reports stating that Adams was suffering from schizophrenia and did not understand that his actions were wrong.
During a hearing at Nova Scotia Supreme Court, evidence revealed that Lindsay was listening to loud music late at night in the apartment he shared with his mother, Sylvia. The noise led to a confrontation between Lindsay and Adams, culminating in the fatal stabbing.
Sylvia Lindsay recounted the events, stating that her son had gone next door to confront Adams after loud banging on the walls. When Adams emerged from his apartment with a knife, a struggle ensued, resulting in Lindsay being stabbed. Despite previous interventions for mental health issues, Adams had not shown signs of violent behavior before the tragic incident.
Justice Jamie Campbell noted that concerns about Adams’ psychiatric condition were present prior to the altercation with Lindsay. As a result of the court’s ruling, Adams will be under the care of Nova Scotia’s Criminal Code Review Board and receive treatment at the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Burnside.
