while he was sleeping

I'm sure most have you have heard about Tim McLean by now, the young man who was stabbed while sleeping on the Greyhound and eventually beheaded before the sick psycho commiting this heinous act decided he was finished.

This has been primarily touted as a random act of violence, landing Vince Weiguang Li a charge of second degree murder, but I'm inclined to believe this was totally premeditated, and the only thing random about it was which poor soul would fall victim to his fantasy. Elsewise, why would the sick SOB have been carrying a frickin' Rambo knife on him in the first place?

He should be charged with first degree murder. This is one of those times when I think our justice system is a failure, when I think capital punishment isn't such a bad idea, and I contemplate what kind of legacy we're leaving behind for our children.

Comments

fmartell2 said…
My first thought actually wasn't for the victim, but for the Perpetrator. I said to myself, that he must really be suffering from a sever mental illness to be able to do something so horrific. I do believe that he should be punished for what he did, but I also believe that we should figure out what caused him to loose his sanity, and do something so insane.
AddysMom said…
Couldn't have said it better myself, Hope!
Anonymous said…
'In Canada, first degree murder is by definition "planned and deliberate." In most Canadian criminology or criminal justice textbooks, second degree murder is defined as "planned but not deliberate." The term "premeditation" is not used in the Canadian Criminal Code. However, the general understanding is that all murders, both first- and second-degree, are premeditated or planned. In Canada, both first- and second-degree murder convictions carry a minimum sentence of life-imprisonment.'
Tanya said…
This incident is such an example of the way or justice system & medical system are failing. Perhaps it is premeditated but I have to think the killer suffers from mental illness. How many dangerous mentally ill people are out on the streets because our system does not have the capabilities to handle them? To me this is just another incident that illustrates that.

I rememember seeing a mentally ill man in the ER years ago bothering nurses and I wondered why he was out on the streets, not long after that the same man pushed someone infront of a train at the uni lrt station.
ticblog said…
Thank you for the clarification, Anonymous.

You know, I really don't think capital punishment is OK - the whole concept of eye for an eye is really equivalent to two wrongs don't make a right at the end of the day. It just seems that a life in prison is insufficient in some cases. I don't know what more can or should be done - I have no idea - I just know that it makes my head spin to think that could have been my son. Or yours. Or your fiance. Or your brother. Mind boggling. Heart breaking. Sickening.
It is events like this that really make me want to crawl into bed and stay there with my children forever. It seems that we can't go anywhere safely anymore without the nagging thought in the back if our heads that we aren't going to make it home alive and with whom we love.
ticblog said…
Apparently Tim McLean sent a text message to someone about Li bothering a female on the bus. It has yet to be confirmed, but it would appear (if it turns out to be true) that we at least have a 'motive.' Not sure if this makes me feel any better or not - and still makes me wonder what the heck the guys was doing with a machete in his pocket.
Babzy said…
Li asked the judge to kill him. Anyone up for a beheading?

If not a beheading then certainly a life sentence to a psych facility.

I'm still on blog vacation but thought I would check up on a couple of blog friends. Chat at you in a couple of weeks.
ticblog said…
BABZY!!! So good to hear from you again! I've missed you!

And yes, Li has asked to die. I don't know if justice would be served by putting him out of his misery. I'm honestly so unsettled by the entire thing I'm to the point where I don't have an opinion anymore, because every opinion I form contradicts with itself.

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