Nova ScotiaDonald Scott McKay, 60, was stabbed to death in December 2020. James MacLean was charged with second-degree murder.James Alfred MacLean, 75, was charged in stabbing death of Donald McKay nearly 5 years agoBlair Rhodes · CBC News · Posted: Nov 05, 2025 4:04 PM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesJames Alfred MacLean, 75, was scheduled to go to trial next week in the 2020 death of Donald Scott McKay, 60, of Halifax. (Robert Short/CBC)A 75-year-old Halifax man has been found unfit to stand trial on a charge of second-degree murder. James Alfred MacLean was scheduled to go on trial beginning next week in the 2020 death of Donald Scott McKay, 60, who was stabbed to death in a Morris Street building in Halifax.But in a hearing in Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Wednesday, Justice Christa Brothers accepted the findings of a psychiatric assessment as sufficient proof that MacLean is unfit to be tried.The assessment, requested by MacLean’s lawyer Peter Mancini, was conducted by forensic psychiatrist Grainne Neilson, who submitted her report four weeks ago. In it, she found MacLean is suffering from untreated schizophrenia.“Mr. MacLean has a past history of psychosis manifest by delusional beliefs with grandiose and persecutory themes (eg having superior talents/abilities, people trying to steal from him or kill him), beliefs of clairvoyance and preoccupation about ‘evil’ and spirits in his apartment,” Neilson wrote. She found MacLean is also suffering from cognitive decline, likely due to aging.Crown and defence lawyers had requested Wednesday’s hearing to discuss the findings of her report and the prospect of a trial. MacLean sat quietly in court, flanked by two sheriff’s deputies, during the brief proceedings.Brothers remanded him to the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth where he will be under the care and supervision of the Criminal Code Review Board.Crown prosecutor Steve Anstey said outside court after the hearing that MacLean’s not-guilty plea has been set aside and his trial dates vacated.“If at any point Mr. MacLean becomes fit to stand trial, we maintain the ability, these charges have not disappeared, the charge remains alive but for today’s purposes, it means the trial cannot happen as scheduled next week,” Anstey said.The review board has 45 days to determine what treatment MacLean requires. The matter is scheduled to return to court in two years to make sure everything remains on track. Donald Scott McKay, 60, was killed on Dec. 8, 2020, in Halifax. (Arbor Memorial)On Dec. 8, 2020, police officers responded to a weapons complaint at a Morris Street building and found McKay inside suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was taken to hospital where he died.According to McKay’s obituary, he died two days before his 61st birthday. He loved rock ‘n’ roll and going to the family camp in Wentworth, the obituary said.MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORBlair Rhodes has been a journalist for more than 40 years, the last 31 with CBC. His primary focus is on stories of crime and public safety. He can be reached at blair.rhodes@cbc.ca
N.S. man accused of murder found unfit to stand trial
