Canada - Tim McLean, 22, decapitated on bus, Winnipeg, 30 July 2008 *Insanity*

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

You're welcome, SieSie. Maybe one of our Canadian posters can let us know if it's standard to withhold that type of information until court. Maybe we'll finally know when the next court date occurs.

I won't be surprised if he's found incompetent to stand trial. I kind of hope he is. It's the only way that this crime can be any less frightening, IMO if the perpetrator is suffering from psychiatric problems. To think that a "normal" person could do this is absolutely horrifying.

 

[SieSie]

You're welcome, SieSie. Maybe one of our Canadian posters can let us know if it's standard to withhold that type of information until court. Maybe we'll finally know when the next court date occurs.

I won't be surprised if he's found incompetent to stand trial. I kind of hope he is. It's the only way that this crime can be any less frightening, IMO if the perpetrator is suffering from psychiatric problems. To think that a "normal" person could do this is absolutely horrifying.

I know, JerseyGirl, but remember that guy that beat and killed his baby on the side of a rural road? He wasn't on anything and supposedly didn't have any psychiatric problems in his past. I agree, though, that it would somehow make it a little less frightening.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I know, JerseyGirl, but remember that guy that beat and killed his baby on the side of a rural road? He wasn't on anything and supposedly didn't have any psychiatric problems in his past.

I would guess (and hope) that people that do things like that would have to have some psychiatric problems that were just well-hidden or hadn't manifested themselves yet. Although that still ends up making a "normal" person just flip since until that first time, no one really knows that they aren't "normal". If someone lashed out in such a gruesome way like that for the first time, it does make it seem that anyone could snap. I certainly hope that's not true!

I haven't heard about the guy with the baby in a long time, haven't followed the story. Did anyone say that he may have showed "symptoms" before that just weren't addressed?

 

[saqqara]

snip
I won't be surprised if he's found incompetent to stand trial. I kind of hope he is. It's the only way that this crime can be any less frightening, IMO if the perpetrator is suffering from psychiatric problems. To think that a "normal" person could do this is absolutely horrifying.

He's been deemed fit to stand trial. Psychological assessment will obviously be discussed at trial.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=913f8c61-60c0-4ec0-b5e3-36baba2a8387

 

[SieSie]

He's been deemed fit to stand trial. Psychological assessment will obviously be discussed at trial.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=913f8c61-60c0-4ec0-b5e3-36baba2a8387

Wow, I'm surprised! Thanks for the update and link, saqqara!!

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

He's been deemed fit to stand trial. Psychological assessment will obviously be discussed at trial.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=913f8c61-60c0-4ec0-b5e3-36baba2a8387

Thanks for the link. Sounds like his mental state at the time of the incident is going to be a major factor. My last guess was wrong so for whatever it's worth, my next guess is that he will end up hospitalized rather than incarcerated. From your link, (bold & italics added by me):

A man accused of killing and beheading a fellow passenger on a Greyhound bus this summer has undergone a significant transformation while lodged at a Winnipeg psychiatric ward and now fully understands his legal situation...

During his initial court appearance, Li refused to speak and communicated only through non-verbal grunts and head shakes except for a brief comment in which he asked to be killed.

"Obviously now he's talking," said Bates. Li has also agreed to medication, he said...

... those who knew him believed he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia but he refused to get treatment.

His wife has told police of a previous four-day stay at a hospital, but no further information has been released publicly by police or lawyers...

 

[greatwhitenorth]

You're welcome, SieSie. Maybe one of our Canadian posters can let us know if it's standard to withhold that type of information until court. Maybe we'll finally know when the next court date occurs.

I won't be surprised if he's found incompetent to stand trial. I kind of hope he is. It's the only way that this crime can be any less frightening, IMO if the perpetrator is suffering from psychiatric problems. To think that a "normal" person could do this is absolutely horrifying.

Hi, they wont release any info on this case till trial...
snip
The lawyers and the Crown have agreed not to release details of Li's court-ordered psychiatric assessment because it could be prejudicial to his trial.

http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081006/081006_bus_beheading/20081006/?hub=CP24Home

 

[greatwhitenorth]

Someone asked the question if it is normal in Canada to with hold information untill trial. The answer is yes. We have has cases that information has never been release. The Paul Bernardo case in 92 or 93 is still blocked. The movie based on the stort was also banned in ontario to protect the family from further pain and suffering....

so yes it is normal , we may never know how or why this man could commit such a horrible act....

info from Canada....

 

[greatwhitenorth]

wow, sorry everyone. I have thick fingers today. I am hoping you can make sence of my post. Just read between the spelling errors...lol

 

[SieSie]

Thank you for the information, greatwhitenorth!

 

[greatwhitenorth]

no problem, I will keep an eye out for any updates....

Canada

 

[greatwhitenorth]

I Witnessed The Greyhound Bus Murder

Witnesses gathered at the horrific scene.



Tim knew he was in serious trouble, and he tried to fight back. He was swinging, trying to throw punches and trying to grab the knife. Stephen Allison , Canada

link:

http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/08/12/i-witnessed-greyhound-bus-murder?page=1

Canada

 

[SieSie]

I Witnessed The Greyhound Bus Murder

Witnesses gathered at the horrific scene.



Tim knew he was in serious trouble, and he tried to fight back. He was swinging, trying to throw punches and trying to grab the knife. Stephen Allison , Canada

link:

http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/08/12/i-witnessed-greyhound-bus-murder?page=1

Canada

Thanks for the link - that guys story (the witness) was so scary, I can't imagine how worried he was for his wife and everyone else on the bus.

 

[Trailerparkgirl]

this was big last summer, dont know if it made the US news
but it was gross, and the outcome of the trial is (to me) appalling....

snipped.....

Vince Li has been found not criminally responsible for the unprovoked killing and beheading of fellow passenger Timothy McLean on a Greyhound bus last summer.

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench Judge John Scurfield said Thursday that Li, 40, could not be found guilty of murder and is not criminally responsible for the crime because he was mentally ill at the time of the killing.

Li had pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder. Psychiatric evidence at his trial suggested he is a schizophrenic who suffered a major psychotic episode last July 30 when he fatally stabbed McLean, 22, ate some of the body parts, and cut off McLean's head.



http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/05/mb-li-verdict.html

 

[Angels_Not_Forgotten]

so are they going to lock him up in a mental institution for everyday of the rest of his life, or just say take thse meds, not enforce it, and leave another innocent victim having no justice? thats sick to me. completely sick

 

[Kat]

Was this young man diagnosed before this crime? If so, was he not taking his medication? If not, was this the first psychotic break he experienced?

My heart and prayers go out to the family of the victim.

I'm just wondering about the history of this man's mental illness.

 

[Penelope]

I live an hour outside of Winnipeg and have been following this story pretty closely. Mental health experts at the trial stated that Li was "tormented by audio hallucinations."

According to various articles in the Winnipeg Free Press (I am adding a link to one article, but my links never seem to work, so forgive me in advance.) doctorsconsider him a good candidate for treatment because he "does not have any history of substance abuse or anti-social disorders." However, he did show some odd behaviors during his life.

He wet his bed until he was 18 years old and was given some medication because of it. In 2004 his now ex-wife said he started acting wierd-- he said he saw God and told her someone was talking to him. She attrributed it to him being "tired".

In 2005 he was picked up by police (he was acting strange and wandering around) in Ontario, briefly hospitalized and diagnosed w/ schizophrenia. He was given medication, but left the hospital in denial. I don't believe he kept taking the meds, so he got progressively worse.

The thing that bothers me is that, if they consider him cured, they can let him go back out into the public (although one doctor said he would have to be monitored closely). They are not giving the public any kind of assurance that he will remain in a psychiatric facility for a very long time. The hospital they are going to put him in is in a medium-sized town about 20 minutes North of Winnipeg. I can understand the family's anger-- I mean, what happens if they let him out and he stops taking his pills again??

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/br...und-not-criminally-responsible--40781652.html

 

[Trailerparkgirl]

exactly penelope...regardless of his mental state, i know it had a huge part to do with this crime, it doesn't erase the fact that he KILLED someone
then what?
he needs to be in jail so he's not a danger to someone else!
this is sending out the wrong message to criminals

 

[Paintr]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/05/26/manitoba-bus-beheading052609.html

The board is to meet next Monday to assess whether Li should be institutionalized or given a conditional release.

The board's chairman, John Stefaniuk, said making the decision public could violate Li's rights as a patient.

Stefaniuk said government lawyers have previously advised against releasing any details on board rulings but that hasn't been tested until now.

"The board has received advice through its counsel, Manitoba Justice, that there are certain restrictions that apply to the release of information by virtue of the health records information act," he said, referring to the Personal Health Information Act.

 

[Columbo]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/05/26/manitoba-bus-beheading052609.html

The board is to meet next Monday to assess whether Li should be institutionalized or given a conditional release.

The board's chairman, John Stefaniuk, said making the decision public could violate Li's rights as a patient.

Stefaniuk said government lawyers have previously advised against releasing any details on board rulings but that hasn't been tested until now.

"The board has received advice through its counsel, Manitoba Justice, that there are certain restrictions that apply to the release of information by virtue of the health records information act," he said, referring to the Personal Health Information Act.

Conditional release, you have to be kidding!!! He beheads a fellow passenger on a bus and he's good to go?
Is it just me, or does anyone else think the legal system is as crazy as all the crazies they administer "justice" to?
I'm sick of this....