Punishment no answer: court
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/03/2009 (6061 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
What happened?
Vincent Li is now free to begin travelling down the road towards rehabilitation — and a possible return to society — after a judge ruled Thursday he should not be punished for last summer’s grisly killing of Tim McLean on board a Greyhound bus.
Li, 40, will be housed in a secure mental health facility to continue treatment for schizophrenia after being found not criminally responsible for second-degree murder. Queen’s Bench Justice John Scurfield said there was overwhelming evidence that Li was suffering a psychotic episode when he stabbed, dismembered and cannibalized the 22-year-old McLean in an unprovoked attack that made headlines around the world.
How did victim’s family react?
McLean’s family was upset, but not surprised, by the outcome. They are vowing to fight to keep Li permanently locked up and want federal laws to change so that people like him never have the chance at release.
"He is getting away with murder," McLean’s older sister, Vana Smart, told reporters outside court Thursday.
"He’ll never have a criminal record. After the review board decides that he can be medically managed in the community, he can get a job in a day care. He can cross the border. He’ll never have this stigma attached to him… He will be able to pursue his life as he pleases."
The victim’s father, Tim McLean Sr., proudly showed reporters a tattoo on his chest of his son’s face and the words "Tim McLean Forever Loved."
"Knowing that the killer might get out sometime soon is very hard. This isn’t the right result. We’ll do what we can to ensure nobody gets hurt again," he said.
How long will Li be in custody?
Li would have faced a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 10 years if found guilty of McLean’s death. Now, his status will be reviewed on an annual basis by members of the Criminal Code Review Board who will determine when, or if, he has been sufficiently treated and no longer poses a risk to society.
For more details on the judge’s ruling, see page A14
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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