Latest news with #TonyNader
CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
Man found guilty in 2021 stabbing death of Halifax optician
In some of Tony Nader's final words before he collapsed and died following a horrific stabbing inside the Halifax optometry store where he worked, he asked someone he knew at the scene to tell his family, friends and co-workers that he loved them. On Thursday, more than two dozen of them were in Nova Scotia Supreme Court to hear a judge find the 28-year-old man accused of the 2021 killing guilty of first-degree murder, rejecting his defence that he was not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. Cymon Felix Cormier looked at the floor, but showed little reaction as Justice Christa Brothers told him the decision, which means he faces an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. "I find that Mr. Cormier was in full control of his faculties when he repeatedly stabbed Mr. Nader," the judge said in a written decision. "Mr. Cormier was a deliberate, wilful and conscious actor, who planned an attack to kill Mr. Nader or cause bodily harm he knew would likely kill him." On Dec. 30, 2021, Cormier pushed his way into Insight Optometry, which at the time was screening customers as part of COVID-19 protocols, and pursued Nader around the store, stabbing him. Cormier ran from the scene, but was arrested nearby. During the trial, which began last fall and lasted more than 15 days, the court heard that Cormier had come to believe Nader had sexually abused him as a child, when Nader and his mother had been in a relationship. There was no evidence brought to court, however, that suggested the allegations were true. Cormier's brother testified Nader was like a father figure for the brothers during the time he lived with the family. Cormier had long struggled with his mental health. A forensic psychiatrist who testified for the defence told the court Cormier had developed "systemized delusions" that Nader was a pedophile who was part of a sex cult, and that people were covering it up. Cormier had told the psychiatrist that God commands him to do things, that he is on a special mission to bring justice to society, that he gets messages through the radio and that doctors have tried to kill or punish him. But Brothers concluded Cormier was in fact malingering. He was not suffering from schizophrenia, she said, but instead from a major depressive disorder, and that it did not make him incapable of knowing that his attack on Nader was wrong. 'Tony Nader was a much-loved individual' Nader, 55, was a husband and father of two children, and was known both as an optician who was dedicated to his patients as well as a talented musician. Prosecutor Scott Morrison said outside the courtroom the judge thoroughly examined the evidence and correctly applied the law, and he believes she came to the right decision. He said Nader's family is generally happy with the result. "It's obvious that this has had a profound impact on their life and that Tony Nader was a much-loved individual," he said. "But I think for some people it might bring them a measure of closure." In her ruling, Brothers pointed to internet searches Cormier made before the stabbing, how he appeared "goal-oriented" in planning and attacking Nader, and that no witnesses, including police officers, described him behaving in a psychotic way. The internet searches in the months leading up to the stabbing included "I think I was sexually abuse but can't remember," "feelings of revenge," and "insanity defence." Brothers said the evidence of the defence expert, Dr. Julian Gojer, who concluded Cormier was likely not criminally responsible, "falls significantly short" of what is required. She said the psychiatrist's "unvarnished acceptance" of Cormier's statements was "problematic." Sentencing in late July She noted that after Gojer was shown the internet searches during cross-examination in court, he said he was now "on the fence" about whether Cormier was criminally responsible. In the opinion of Dr. Joel Watts, an expert for the prosecution, Cormier had embellished his psychotic symptoms and his claims of amnesia in relation to the attack, according to the judge, who called his testimony "clear, compelling and rooted in evidence." The judge also found Cormier guilty of assault causing bodily harm for hitting an Insight customer with the butt of the knife during the attack. Cormier will be formally sentenced for murder and assault at a court hearing at the end of July where family members will be given the opportunity to read victim impact statements.
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Man found guilty of murdering Halifax optician in December 2021
Police say Cymon Felix Cormier entered the business and attacked a staff member, identified by police as 55-year-old Tony Nader. A man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Halifax optician in December 2021. Justice Christa Brothers delivered the verdict Thursday morning, telling the court she found the fatal stabbing of 55-year-old Tony Nader to be planned and deliberate. She did not accept the defence's argument that the accused, Cymon Felix Cormier, was not criminally responsible. Nader was stabbed while at his workplace, Insight Optometry, on Brunswick Street the morning of Dec. 30, 2021. Another man was inside the business and tried to intervene. He too was attacked and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Nader later died in hospital from his stab wounds. Cormier was arrested a short time later and charged with first-degree murder in Nader's death. He was also charged with aggravated assault for injuring the man who intervened. Cormier was found guilty Thursday of the lesser charge of assault causing bodily harm for attacking that man. More to come… For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
News18
3 days ago
- General
- News18
How Ganesha Resides in the Human Brain: A Vedic and Scientific Revelation
Last Updated: Ganesha's divine form mirrors the architecture of the human brain, bridging ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience. In the Vedic perspective, the Veda is more than a text or a collection of hymns, it is the fabric of natural law, the very structure of creation itself. These eternal resonances are said to structure the universe at every level, from atoms to galaxies and everything in between. Thus, human physiology is not merely the result of biological processes, but a performance of the same natural laws described in the Veda laws that also govern human behavior and consciousness. Dr Tony Nader (Born: Tanios Abou Nader, neuroscientist, researcher, university president, author and leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement shares all you need to know: When examined through this lens, the ancient imagery and symbolism associated with deities like Lord Ganesha reveal a remarkable relationship with features and functions of the human brain. The shape and characteristics of Ganesha—fondly known as the remover of obstacles and protector of new beginnings—mirror the structures and processes of the brainstem, the entry point for all neural activity in the body. The cerebellum, for example, corresponds to Ganesha's large ears. Just as Ganesha listens attentively to the Mahabharata as dictated by Rishi Vyasa ensuring that sound reflects meaning, the cerebellum compares intention with action, refining our motor coordination and maintaining balance. The pons, conceptualized as Ganesha's face, controls sensory information, behavioral performance, and autonomic functions like breathing and sleep. It symbolizes Ganesha's awareness and his role in managing perception and life-sustaining systems. The medulla oblongata, likened to Ganesha's trunk, regulates critical life functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. Just as Ganesha's trunk is a powerful, adaptable tool that helps him overcome obstacles, the medulla ensures the smooth flow of vital energy and maintains physiological stability. Other anatomical structures support this parallel. The trigeminal nerves which govern facial sensation and movement can be compared to Ganesha's eyes, taking in and interpreting sensory information. The pontine nuclei, involved in body posture and reflexes, align with the symbolic function of the tusks, which represent both precision and balance. These neurological parallels illustrate how the form of Ganesha exists in the nervous system not only as a metaphor but as a structural and functional reality. The symbolism in the Vedic literature is not merely poetic—it is remarkably precise, describing physiological truths that have echoed through human consciousness for millennia. The names and attributes of Ganesha: Vinayaka (the guide), Vighnaraj (remover of obstacles), Chakravarti (ruler of the universal wheel) mirror the brainstem's primacy in sustaining life and maintaining order in the body. These correlations are not coincidental. They reflect a deep understanding of the unity between consciousness, nature, and physiology. The Vedic seers could perceive the structure of the universe within themselves, and their sacred literature is infused with rich symbolism that reflects this inner knowledge. When modern science views the human body through a similar lens, the parallels become self-evident. To understand Ganesha in this way bridges spirituality and science, presenting the divine not only in temples and scriptures but also in the architecture and function of the human brain.
