Almost two years after he stabbed, beheaded and carved up a fellow passenger on a Greyhound bus, Vince Li may get the right to short, supervised walks around the grounds of the hospital where he is being held.
Li is responding well to treatment inside the locked wing of the Selkirk Mental Heath Centre and should be allowed brief walks outside, Dr. Steven Kremer, Li's psychiatrist, told the Manitoba Review Board Monday.
Li would be supervised by two people at all times on the unsecured grounds, and the walks would be no more than 15 minutes long at first, Kremer said.
But the Crown and victim Tim McLean's family are opposed to the move.
"I struggle to get through a day without crying over the details of my son's death," McLean's mother Carol DeDelley wrote in a victim impact statement. "I don't want to see the visions in my mind, but they are still there. I don't want to be here speaking to the review board. I feel I have to be."
Bruce Martin, the man who drove the bus on the night of the attack, and who only recently returned to regular duties, told the board his only relief is knowing Li is "under lock and key".
"I have some comfort knowing that our citizens, and their children and grandchildren do not have to fear (Li)," Martin wrote in a statement read by his wife.
The board, which reviews cases such as Li's every year, is expected to make a decision by the end of the week.
Li's attack made headlines around the world. After a rest stop in western Manitoba, Li sat next to McLean, a 22-year-old carnival worker heading home to Winnipeg from Edmonton. The two men had never met. McLean was listening to music on his headphones, with his eyes closed.
Suddenly, Li stood up and started stabbing McLean as horrified passengers looked on. He stabbed McLean dozens of times, carving up his body and scattering it around the bus. Part of McLean's heart and his eyes were never found.
As people scrambled to get off the bus and police surrounded it, witnesses reported seeing Li holding McLean's head in the air, taunting officers.
Li was found not criminally responsible for the attack due to untreated schizophrenia, and ordered to stay in the secure wing of the Selkirk centre, subject to annual reviews by the board.
For McLean's family, the attack continues to hurt them.
"I used to enjoy interacting with others through my work and socializing. I don't anymore," DeDelley wrote. "I have been in therapy two to three times a week since Timothy's death to give me the tools to help me cope on a daily basis with the sorrow, heartache and rage I now experience."
Man who beheaded fellow bus passenger may get escorted outside walks
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Published on
June 1, 2010
- Published on July 1, 2010
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The Canadian Press ~ The News
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Comments
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- criminal minds
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:16
Even though I empathize with people who live with mental illness, I cannot sympathize with Vince Li. The very thought of that horrible, fatal night sends shivers down my spine. He should be condemned to life in a mental institution, locked safely away.
When he is mentally stable enough, with the aid of his meds, it should be mandatory that he be reminded through vivid accounts the night he took Tim McLean's life.
Mental illness in one is something for all of us to fear, if left untreated. -
- Margaret
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:03:31
James, I'm not able to do that yet with Mr. Li; his family, yes.
Maybe you can do that for me for now.
This is not the issue of the article. -
- James
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:59:22
Margaret, would you also say ''God Bless Mr. Li and his family'' or does your christian charity only go so far...?
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- Margaret
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:57:53
Li does not deserve such a privilege.
And the grounds are unsecure, and I imagine there are some people, rightfully so, would love to get revenge on this
man. Can you even begin to feel what the victim's family are going through every single waking minute of their lives? I don't imagine they are sleeping very much. My heavens, it was horrific enough to stab this innocent man to death, but what he did afterwards is uncomprehendable. Thousands upon thousands of people suffer from some sort of mental illness. You wouldn't even do something like this to an animal you were hunting.
God Bless the Family; it's the only way they are going to be able to make it through each day. -
- James
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:47:56
Who ever escorts this guy had better keep their heads up when doing so.
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- Cyndie
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:46:47
If an animal attacked a human being like this we'd put it down,not walk it around the yard. This man is obviously insanely sick and in my opinion,after his outrageous actions,serves no purpose on this earth.
I feel for the Mclean family,truly. -
- Peter
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:45:53
You've got to be kidding. I don't believe this.
Tim will never be able to go out for a walk ever again let alone for 15 minutes and Li shouldn't either. He should be locked up for the rest of his life and out of respect for the Tim and the Mclean family throw away the key. My prayers go out to the Mclean family! -
- Politically Incorrect
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:44:11
The State of Israel commits a flagrant act of piracy killing at least 10 people, while ''our'' government mumbles something about it being regrettable and THIS is what you choose to put on your web page? Is this meant to inform or inflame? Sensationalism 1; Journalism 0
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- criminal minds
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:53:25
Even though I empathize with people who live with mental illness, I cannot sympathize with Vince Li. The very thought of that horrible, fatal night sends shivers down my spine. He should be condemned to life in a mental institution, locked safely away.
When he is mentally stable enough, with the aid of his meds, it should be mandatory that he be reminded through vivid accounts the night he took Tim McLean's life.
Mental illness in one is something for all of us to fear, if left untreated. -
- Margaret
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:52:12
James, I'm not able to do that yet with Mr. Li; his family, yes.
Maybe you can do that for me for now.
This is not the issue of the article. -
- James
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:46:50
Margaret, would you also say ''God Bless Mr. Li and his family'' or does your christian charity only go so far...?
-
- Margaret
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:45:40
Li does not deserve such a privilege.
And the grounds are unsecure, and I imagine there are some people, rightfully so, would love to get revenge on this
man. Can you even begin to feel what the victim's family are going through every single waking minute of their lives? I don't imagine they are sleeping very much. My heavens, it was horrific enough to stab this innocent man to death, but what he did afterwards is uncomprehendable. Thousands upon thousands of people suffer from some sort of mental illness. You wouldn't even do something like this to an animal you were hunting.
God Bless the Family; it's the only way they are going to be able to make it through each day. -
- James
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:28:56
Who ever escorts this guy had better keep their heads up when doing so.
-
- Cyndie
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:26:56
If an animal attacked a human being like this we'd put it down,not walk it around the yard. This man is obviously insanely sick and in my opinion,after his outrageous actions,serves no purpose on this earth.
I feel for the Mclean family,truly. -
- Peter
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:25:39
You've got to be kidding. I don't believe this.
Tim will never be able to go out for a walk ever again let alone for 15 minutes and Li shouldn't either. He should be locked up for the rest of his life and out of respect for the Tim and the Mclean family throw away the key. My prayers go out to the Mclean family! -
- Politically Incorrect
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:22:55
The State of Israel commits a flagrant act of piracy killing at least 10 people, while ''our'' government mumbles something about it being regrettable and THIS is what you choose to put on your web page? Is this meant to inform or inflame? Sensationalism 1; Journalism 0
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