VANCOUVER — The man accused of stabbing three people at a festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 2023 is testifying at his trial, telling the court how he found religion.
Blair Donnelly, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated assault at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, says he was a drug dealer, alcoholic and “partygoer” when he made a deal with God to serve him if he gave him a wife and family.
Donnelly, who is now 66, says he was 22 when he got involved with religion and it changed his life.
Donnelly has been carrying a Bible at his trial, now in its second day, but before he testified he affirmed he would tell the truth rather than swearing on the holy book, later citing a verse about oath swearing.
He had been on unescorted leave from the B.C. Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam the day of the attack.
Blair’s lawyer Glen Orris said in opening statements on Tuesday that his client has admitted to the stabbings but his state of mind will be at issue.
He told the court Donnelly had been formally diagnosed with “bipolar disorder, atypical type” and has been living at the psychiatric hospital since 2008, after he was found not criminally responsible in the killing of his daughter.
Orris says Donnelly “was aware of the fact” that what he did at the festival was illegal but he believed he was “being told by God” to carry out the stabbings.
The Crown presented its entire case on Monday, sharing surveillance video depicting what it said were Donnelly’s movements the day of the attack, which included buying a chisel from Home Depot, travelling to Chinatown and stabbing two women and a man at the festival.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2025.
Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press
