Parents shot to save them grief

31 Oct 2007- Cape Town, South Africa - A gay student shot dead his parents to spare them grief, according to a report handed up in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

A psychiatric report said Grant Harris wanted to commit suicide after his male lover he had shared the garage with at his parents' Deep River home left him.

The purpose of the alleged murders had been to spare his parents the grief resulting from his suicide.

The psychiatrists found Harris fit to stand trial.

His appearance on Wednesday followed his release from the Valkenberg psychiatric hospital, where he had been under observation for 30 days.

Harris is alleged to have shot dead his parents, Glenn and Deborah Harris, on July 10 at their home in Avondale Terrace, Deep River.

The report handed to the court said Harris was not mentally ill nor certifiable in terms of the Mental Health Act.

The report added: "He is fit to stand trial, and he is able to appreciate the wrongfulness of the alleged offences and to act accordingly."

Desire to commit suicide

The report said his actions at the time of the alleged murders were motivated by a desire to commit suicide, caused by depression.

The purpose of the alleged murders had been to spare his parents the grief resulting from his suicide.

The report said his relationship with his parents had become strained, after he revealed to them about four years ago that he was homosexual.

His parents had difficulty in accepting his sexual orientation, the report said.

The report said he started a long-term gay relationship in which he and his partner had lived in the garage of his parental home. It said Harris felt deep rejection when his gay partner left him in May 2007, two months before the shooting.

The break-up caused him to shoot his parents, to spare them the grief of losing their second son, to suicide, and to then shoot himself.

The report said Harris's suicide attempt had landed him in hospital in a serious condition, but that he had recuperated. Harris was remanded to November 23.

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