WINNIPEG — Vince Li – the man found not criminally responsible for beheading and then cannibalizing a Greyhound bus passenger in 2008 near Portage La Prairie – could soon be back in the community without supervision.
Dr. Steven Kramer, Li’s psychiatrist, made three recommendations during his patient’s annual hearing Monday: that Li be granted unescorted passes to Selkirk, less supervision while on day visits to Winnipeg and move from a locked ward of the Selkirk Mental Health Centre to an unlocked area of the facility.
During the hearing, Li’s psychiatrist called him a “model patient” who has made “excellent” progress and has not shown any aggression since undergoing treatment.
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The board also heard Li had been granted unescorted passes on hospital grounds hundreds of times, while also going on escorted trips to Selkirk about 100 times — with no problems.
Carol de Delley the mother of victim Tim McLean says criminally responsible or not, people like Li should not be let back into society.
“I’m very displeased with that,” said de Delley. “At the end of the day I don’t think that he — well or not well — or any individual who has committed a murder or killing has the right for freedom period.”
Li’s psychiatrist say the eventual goal is to reintegrate him fully into society. Li was present for the hearing but remained quiet throughout, he did not address the board.
“Right now, he’s being monitored. People know whether he’s taking (medication),” said de Delley. “Once he’s unsupervised and released with no criminal record and he chooses not to take medication and if he reoffends and they do, what will happen then? Nothing. The whole system will go woops statistically this isn’t supposed to happen. He’s been a model patient.”
Crown did not object to the recommendations. The board will make a decision in about a week.
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