Warning: graphic details may disturb some readers
Vince Li, who violently beheaded a young passenger and ate his flesh on a Greyhound bus four years ago, could soon be given temporary passes away from a Manitoba mental hospital.
On Monday, a criminal review board heard that Li has made great progress over the past few years, and has responded well to medication prescribed since the horrific incident.
Tim McLean, 22, died on July 30, 2008 when Li repeatedly stabbed him with a knife as he slept on a bus headed to Winnipeg.
A five-hour standoff with police ensued, after passengers fled the bus and officers arrived on the scene. Later, witnesses saw Li dismember the body and even eat some of the flesh.
Li was found not criminally responsible, and it was later learned that he is schizophrenic.
Today, however, the 44-year-old is described by his doctors at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre as a model patient, and he should be granted supervised, 30-minute trips into town, a psychiatrist told the review board on Monday.
"(Li) has done very well with his medication," Dr. Steven Kremer said at the review meeting.
"There is no evidence that he harbours any delusional belief and ... he recognizes he has schizophrenia."
But those statements left the victim's mother baffled and angry, and she reminded reporters that her son was cannibalized during the gruesome killing.
"Can you guarantee me that he's not going to eat somebody else's eyes, somebody else's heart? Slaughter another individual? No, nobody can guarantee me that," said Carol DeDelley, who spoke outside a Winnipeg court.
"If you all think that maybe this is a good thing, that he should be free, let him come and stay at your house, 'cause I sure as hell don't want him in my neighbourhood."
But according to Chris Summerville from the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, the public should not be concerned about Li.
"I'm not concerned at all," he said, adding that he would invite Li over "if he wanted to come and visit me and walk with me, where I live, or even have him over for supper."
"I know a lot of people listening will say that is absolutely ridiculous."
Doctors say much has changed since that night in July 2008 when Li attacked a perfect stranger, whose only shared connection was a bus ticket.
Since Li has responded so well to the medications prescribed him, his risk of re-offending are only about 1 per cent, doctors say.
The review board is set to make its decision this week.
With a report from The Canadian Press
