Bus Beheading Suspect To Be Charged With 2nd Degree Murder
Posted October 6, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
He’s become one of Canada’s most famous accused, a man whose motives have been questioned around the world. But it may be a while before we learn what was going on in the mind of Vincent Li, the suspect in the vicious beheading of an apparently random passenger on board a Greyhound bus in Manitoba on July 31st.
Lawyers for the 40-year-old made a long awaited appearance in court Monday and he will now be charged with second-degree murder. It’s an interesting choice because it appears to show the Crown doesn’t think – or can’t prove – that the crime was premeditated, leading to the lesser but still serious charge.
But it’s not clear if Li will ever actually be convicted of the crime. He’s been found fit to stand trial, and he claims he’s ready for justice. But his lawyers say they believe they can prove he wasn’t criminal responsible for the heinous act he’s been charged with committing.
“That’s really the sole issue in this case,” defence lawyer Allan Libman explains. “If someone commits an offence while suffering a disease of the mind and they don’t know their actions are wrong, they can’t be held criminally responsible.”
He’s been undergoing psychiatric assessment for more than a month, and his lawyers won’t release his assessment, fearing it will taint his chances in court.
Li is accused of stabbing 22-year-old Tim McLean, who was sitting quietly sleeping onboard the bus in Portage La Prairie as it headed towards Winnipeg.
As he fought a losing battle for his life, the other passengers on board escaped the vehicle and called police. By the time they arrived, the young man had been beheaded in a ghoulish act that received attention around the world.
Li has never explained his alleged actions and his only real pronouncement in court came shortly after his arrest, when he could be seen mouthing the words ‘please kill me.’
He’s cooperating with authorities but the motive behind the horrific killing remains a mystery. He will be back before a judge on November 6th.
