A 23-year-old Montreal man who thought his life was a reality tv show and stabbed a Pointe Claire man multiple times was found not criminally responsible for his actions. Sean Brennan, a paranoid schizophrenic, was suffering from an episode of psychosis when he stabbed and killed 41 year old Brian Bougie in January of 2011. Brian suffered 91 stab wounds after giving Brennan shelter after finding the 23-year-old sleeping in the stairwell of his Pointe Claire apartment building. But later that evening, Bougie told his boss he started to have misgivings about Brennan who was acting more and more aggressive. The next morning, Brian was dead.
A psychiatric evaluation found that Brennan thought his life was a reality tv show, similar to the plot in the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show, and that the tv told him in order to get to Hollywood, he had to kill David Bowie as personified by Bougie. Sean Brennan also thought celebrities such as rap artist Eminem were talking to him directly and that when police arrived the day of the stabbing, he thought the officer was director Quentin Tarantino.
Brennan’s lawyer James Dawson has stated that Brennan had behavioural problems since he was young and was followed by a psychiatrist starting in his teens when he was also consuming drugs and alcohol. At the time of the stabbing, Brennan was not on any meds, was no longer going to his treatments at the Douglas Hospital and was under the influence of drugs and alcohol every day.
Sean Brennan was previously convicted of illegal possession of a firearm, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest, uttering death threats, and breaking bail conditions on several occasions. He’s never received any jail time, only suspended sentences and probation.
Brennan is now detained and treated at the Pinel Psychiatric Institute.
http://www.cjad.com/CJADLocalNews/entry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10349635
Sean Brennan was staying with a couple who were good friends of mine in the weeks leading up to the murder… They kicked him out because he was literally insane. Smeared toothpaste all over the bathroom walls… would be up rapping at all ours of the night, thought he was slim shady and was screaming at my friend referring to her as Kim, slimshadys ex wife.. They were scared. So when they kicked him out he slept in the stairwell for a night or 2 until a neighbor took him in.. And we all know the rest.
Sean is a sick SICK person and a ticking time bomb and should be locked up.
Sean is described by many of his friends as harmless and when this happened the all suspected that the victim had tried to hurt/rape him which made him lose it. Yes, I’m sure he is schizophrenic, but schizophrenia is commonly caused by trauma when you’re young. The blood is not on his hand but on the hand of his drug dealer, his parents and possibly Brian.
I know personally that the fact that he killed someone haunts him and keeps him up at night.
Thinking when he gets out would be nice of you to invite him into your home…..
I was Brian’s childhood best friend, we were in the same teen group home for years. Just to clear up something, yes his name was spelt Brian…but because I was huge fan of BRYAN ADAMS, Brian decided
to start spelling his name Bryan at the age of 15, so BRYAN is the right spelling in my opinion
Roger, Have some respect !!!!! I lost my son BRIAN, not the singer BRYAN ADAMS…………….This is NOT about YOU !!!!!
I know Sean Brennan personally I was friends with him for a couple months when
We were at a rehab together … I’ve spent time with him alone … And I can tell you honestly
That he is not crazy he is not schyzophtenic… And he doesn’t think his life is a movie
His problem is crack cocaine he will do anything an everything to get it… I believe the death of Brian
Started with an argument and ended in murder…. His lawyers did everything to get him off jail…. But I truly believe he
Regrets tremendously what he did and I’m sure it haunts him…, he wasent bad guy he was a good guy but drugs take control
Brennan’s time will be up when he is released as safe to be amongst the population again, who will he live next door to? We will never know. Will he be the smiling helpful neighbour carrying an old person’s bag of groceries into her apartment? Will he invite someone in the building over to watch a hockey game on tv? He is a time bomb for the next innocent person he befriends when released. The judge had to follow the rules of law as they now stand, the prosecutor was frustrated by the laws she has to work under. So the LAW needs to be changed that upon release a prison sentence is carried out. Brennan’s incarceration will reach an end, but the parents of Brian will serve a life sentence in his place, missing their son in grief for the rest of THEIR lives. That is not right. What is wrong with our laws that protect the perpetrator and not the victim? While in Penel Brennan is being given his meds, but upon release, will he continue to take them, or stop and kill again? At least if in prison after Pinel, the public would be safer and any slip in taking meds could be given as an excuse for no parole. It makes no sense to oversee the meds & call him ready for life outside, TRUSTING (??) him to be diligent with his mental health needs. Now he or anyone else when released, it is up to him if he will continue on meds or not. The headlines prove that murders are committed when the meds are stopped by the individual himself, WHY are we TRUSTING people like this? They need to be in prison, a long sentence, never to be relesed for public safety if necessary. To be given the choice is to sentence another victim to the horror and suffering of Brian’s parents. And sometimes people are just MEAN and EVIL and it has nothing to do with meds. But is a way OUT and on the street again, unpunished and ready to strike again. Brian’s parents are serving life, why not Brennan?
I agree with your comment for the most part. The “Review Board”: back to top of page
The Parties
The three parties at most hearings are the accused, the person in charge of the hospital, and the Attorney General. Most accused are represented by counsel as is the Attorney General. Persons in charge of hospitals do retain counsel in a small percentage of cases. Others who have a “substantial interest in protecting the interests of the accused” may be designated as parties by the court or Review Board. Where the accused is a “dual status offender” [described below] the Solicitor General of Canada or the Minister of Correctional Services becomes a statutory party for federal and provincial inmates, respectively.
From link: http://www.orb.on.ca/scripts/en/about.asp#parties
In Ontario’s Provincial Government
the psychiatrists are only guessing (stating probabilities NOT facts), & a piece of paper upon a conditional discharge with “conditions” will not stop a NCR offender from violating those conditions. Especially the condition of continuing to take meds. If it is the offender’s choice they can go off them again with no consequences. They can’t be forced to take them as it would violate their “rights”. Then if they commit again a crime especially murder & related charges another life is lost & they go back into custody. No consequences for the Review Board when this kind of thing happens. Yes the law does need to be changed further than Harper’s new NCR legislation.
I knew this kid when i was growing up, we went to school together and had many mutual friends. we were friends. I knew his family and spent many years hanging out with him. I do admit that he had problems but lets be realistic to only have to serve time at pinel to be treated is ridiculous. i believe that he should be treated and then sent to do his time. this poor man was killed for giving him a place to crash for the night!!! I do not believe that there is any good reason to kill somebody, especially so violently as to stab someone 90 some odd times!!!!
My prayers to the family of Brian he did not deserve to die this way
to MNL,
Thank you for your thoughts. You seem to be a kind person. If Brennan gets out (when he starts to smile normally again), everybody should be careful what they wish for, he will most probably do this again.The justice system is totally out of wack here in this country, the more horrendous the crime the less time is doled out – Pinel…..My son did not deserve this, he was too kind – paying it forward as the saying goes and it cost him his life in the most horrendous way imagineable. Quebec is known for having the most ncr cases in the country.
wow that’s a staggering amount in Quebec. I wonder where Ontario & BC are on this list – will google & post.
I would like to take a moment to explain that the victim Bryan’s name was actually spelt Brian,nobody in the media ever bothered to correct it. I know how difficult it is as a mother when they can’t even get the name right.