Overview

• The court posted its ruling online on August 6, concluding that Joseph Berkiw’s January 2024 fatal stabbing met the standard for not criminally responsible.
• Judges determined he suffered a psychotic disorder marked by delusional beliefs that rendered him incapable of knowing his actions were morally wrong.
• The ruling highlights that he believed he was saving his wife from torture or rape by imagined attackers at the time of the killing.
• Chilliwack police twice declined to apprehend him under the Mental Health Act after his son’s welfare calls in early January 2024.
• A publication ban shields the victim’s identity, reflecting privacy protections in mental health–related legal proceedings.