Judge to deliver decision in attempted murder trial for woman who drove SUV into her

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Donna Elder will find out Tuesday morning if she'll be sent to a psychiatric hospital or will face possible prison time for the attempted murder of her elderly mother. In July 2018, Elder was responsible for the care of her 85-year-old mother, Katherine Triplett. The two women went to a KFC restaurant in west Edmonton to pick up some food. Elder later told a psychiatrist she began to hear voices telling her someone was going to hurt her mother, while Triplett was waiting outside the restaurant for her daughter to retrieve her vehicle. According to an agreed statement of facts entered during the five-day trial last month, Elder drove straight toward her mother and hit her. The elderly woman went flying through the air, crashing through a glass window and onto a table in the restaurant before sliding to the floor with severe injuries. One KFC employee said the first hit wasn't too hard, but the second crash "was like a bomb." According to the agreed statement of facts, when witnesses came to her aid, Triplett said, "I don't know why my daughter Donna would try to kill me." Triplett had to undergo emergency surgery and eventually her lower left leg was amputated. She died nine months later. The attempted murder charge was not upgraded. Elder is also accused of aggravated assault and dangerous driving causing bodily harm. The defence has asked Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brian Burrows to find Elder not criminally responsible. The onus is on the defence to prove its case on a balance of probabilities, which is less onerous than proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The Crown has argued Elder, now 62, should be held responsible for her actions. A psychologist testifying for the prosecution called Elder's claims of hearing voices "unsubstantiated and non-credible". Edmonton Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brian Burrows will hand down his decision at 10 a.m. For now, Elder remains free on bail.
 
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