In a case that has captivated and divided public opinion, Kenneth Parks, a Canadian man, was acquitted of murder after claiming he committed the crime while sleepwalking. The shocking incident unfolded in the early hours of May 24, 1987, when the then 23-year-old Parks drove 14 miles to his in-laws’ home in Scarborough, Ontario, where he attacked and killed his mother-in-law, Barbara Woods, and severely injured his father-in-law, Dennis Woods.
Parks, who was covered in blood when he voluntarily approached police to confess, stated he had no recollection of the events leading to the brutal attack. He reported feelings of confusion and shock, maintaining that he had been sleepwalking during the incident. The prosecution faced the daunting task of convincing the jury that Parks was fully aware of his actions, while the defense leaned heavily on the argument that he was a victim of a rare condition known as non-REM sleep arousal disorder, which allowed him to engage in complex behaviors without conscious awareness.
In the lead-up to the tragedy, Parks had attended a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, where he resolved to confess to his family about his gambling addiction—a revelation that had been weighing heavily on him. The day of the attack, he was reportedly exhausted and emotionally overwhelmed. Experts who later evaluated Parks noted that he had no history of violent behavior or mental illness, but did have a long-standing pattern of sleepwalking and sleep disturbances.
During the trial, forensic psychologists testified on Parks’ behalf, explaining that the combination of stress, sleep deprivation, and his underlying sleepwalking condition could have triggered the violent episode. They argued that since Parks was not aware of his actions, he could not be held legally responsible for the murders.
The jury, after weighing weeks of expert testimony and emotional accounts, ultimately sided with the defense. They found Parks not guilty of murder, attempted murder, or manslaughter, concluding that he was not awake during the incident and therefore had no control over his actions. This decision marked one of the first successful uses of the sleepwalking defense in a murder trial in Canada and has since sparked significant debate about the implications of such a ruling.
Following the trial, Kenneth Parks has maintained a low profile and has reportedly not experienced any further episodes of dangerous sleepwalking. He continues to assert that he was asleep during the tragic events that unfolded that night.
The case raises profound questions about the intersection of mental health, legal responsibility, and the nature of consciousness itself. As discussions around the reliance on sleepwalking as a defense continue, society grapples with the complexities of accountability in cases where mental and physical states collide in unexpected and violent ways.
