UPDATE: The judge decided James Mou won’t be eligible for parole for 14 years.
Young mother Lancy Hu went missing in July of 2011. Her body turned up in a suitcase in the Fraser River a month later.
In court this week, her estranged husband pleaded guilty to killing her, and now a sentencing hearing is underway in New Westminster court.
Mou pleaded guilty to second degree murder. He will be sentenced to life in prison. The question now is when he will be eligible for parole.
Get breaking National news
His lawyer is asking that he be made eligible for parole in 12 to 13 years. The Crown is asking for 15 to 20 years.
Mou’s lawyer read out a brief statement on his client’s behalf in court today.
Mou wrote, “I need to accept the consequences of what I’ve done and face it in the grace of God.”
His lawyer went on to say that Mou realizes now that his actions were wrong, but at the time he felt that his wife Lancy was an “unfit mother” and too physical with the children.
She wanted a divorce, and she was demanding sole custody of their two young children.
Lancy’s parents travelled from China and were in court today.
Lancy’s father spoke with Global National Mandarin during the break and said he was very unhappy with some of the statements that Mou is still making, including excuses for himself to get a lesser sentence.
James Mou’s lawyer pointed out that his client fully confessed to police against the advice of council and without serious probing by officers.
He also revealed that just before Mou’s confession, police allowed Mou to listen to a recording made by his father, and in that recording his father told his son – ‘I love you, but I like justice and truth more.’
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.