Details surrounding the alleged murder of a mental hospital patient have been released, revealing the accused killer said "that was self-defence" and refused to cooperate in the ensuing chaos.
A forensic pathologist found the alleged victim's cause of death was "multiple blunt force head and neck injuries with a likely asphyxia component".
Aleu Mapiou, who was 18 at the time, allegedly murdered Dusko Culibrk, 38, while they were patients in the adult mental health unit at Canberra Hospital.
In the ACT Supreme Court on Monday, Mapiou pleaded not guilty by reason of mental impairment to one count of murder.
Justice Belinda Baker is set to independently evaluate the case and determine if the court will accept this plea.
The judge said she would be "carefully considering" whether Mapiou would receive a special verdict and bypass a potential jury trial.
The murder allegation
An agreed summary of evidence states Mapiou killed Mr Culibrk in November 2022 after about 11pm.
The day before a family member contacted police saying Mapiou was paranoid, delusional and they were concerned he was a safety risk.
Another family member told officers Mapiou had been "acting deranged", pacing back and forth holding a knife, and saying "we are all going to die and nothing matters".
He was placed under emergency apprehension in the mental health hospital.
Around 8.30am the morning of the alleged killing, a psychiatrist formed the view Mapiou was experiencing "first episode psychosis".
He was placed in a de-escalation suite to prevent him from escaping, but Mapiou was "in a highly agitated state", stripping lights and smoke detectors from the ceiling and walls.
Later that day, Mapiou is said to have told a visitor he was scared of Mr Culibrk.
"He knows. Like, he can see through everything. He's intelligent and, like, I'm scared of him," Mapiou allegedly said.
About 9.45pm a nurse saw Mapiou and Mr Culibrk in the second man's room, chatting with the door open, but they were instructed to come out because it was against hospital policy.
The two men then went into a communal area, watched TV and continued chatting.
By 11.45pm they went missing and when a nurse went to check Mr Culibrk's room the door was closed.
Upon tapping her swipe card to unblur a switchable glass panel, the nurse allegedly saw Mapiou with his back to the door carrying the other man.
Mr Culibrk was said to be slumped on the floor, his head on the side of the bed and blood pooled nearby.
The document described the ensuing chaos as staff called "code black" and Mapiou ran out for the room, saying: "That was self-defence, that was self-defence."
After trying to resuscitate the alleged victim for almost an hour, medical staff pronounced him dead at 12.21am.
During this time, Mapiou allegedly refused to cooperate with staff and returned to Mr Culibrk's room during resuscitation attempts.
The accused man was later restrained on a mattress in another room and medicated.
Shortly afterwards, police arrested Mapiou who was sleeping while wearing a blood-stained hospital gown.
Two psychiatrists are expected to give evidence to the court later this week.
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Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
