Sleeping Man Beheaded on Greyhound Bus

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

The "trial" (if you want to call if that) is already over, which is why this thread was bumped (go back a page) and he was found criminally not responsible for reason of insanity.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...i-verdict.html

It's interesting that the defense attorney states that he felt remorse after the verdict had been handed down. Coming at this from a US perspective, the fact that he could appreciate remorse would seem to weigh against an insanity defense.

Is there a big outcry against the Canadian justice system after this ruling?

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Is there a big outcry against the Canadian justice system after this ruling?

Not that I have heard. I don't think it made much of a "ripple" in terms of news coverage.

Some people commented on news websites and that's about it.

These are the things that bother me a bit (from source: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0305/20090305/)
"With the NCR declaration, Li will not have a criminal record."
"His case must also be reviewed on an annual basis by a mental health review board." (so, he could be released to the public one day, as long as he stays on his meds....which is positively a frightening spectre)

and I feel terribly for the family of the victim, who basically have to revisit this case every year for the rest of their (or his) life:
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/Redirect/?ClipId=146869

My thoughts are, I don't care if he is in jail or in a hospital, just as long as he is never ever released into the public.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Not that I have heard. I don't think it made much of a "ripple" in terms of news coverage.

Some people commented on news websites and that's about it.

These are the things that bother me a bit (from source: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0305/20090305/)
"With the NCR declaration, Li will not have a criminal record."
"His case must also be reviewed on an annual basis by a mental health review board." (so, he could be released to the public one day, as long as he stays on his meds....which is positively a frightening spectre)

and I feel terribly for the family of the victim, who basically have to revisit this case every year for the rest of their (or his) life:
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/Redirect/?ClipId=146869

My thoughts are, I don't care if he is in jail or in a hospital, just as long as he is never ever released into the public.

I don't know much about the Candian criminal justice system, but does an insanity defense leave to longterm confinement in a treatment facility?

[starang21]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

It's interesting that the defense attorney states that he felt remorse after the verdict had been handed down. Coming at this from a US perspective, the fact that he could appreciate remorse would seem to weigh against an insanity defense.

Is there a big outcry against the Canadian justice system after this ruling?

could it be misconstrued that he was insane at the time or does timeframe matter in these instances?

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by starang21

could it be misconstrued that he was insane at the time or does timeframe matter in these instances?

Again, I'm not a criminal law expert, so take what I say with a grain of salt...but my understanding is that in the United States, temporary insanity can't be offered as an affirmative defense. It can only be offered as a mitigating factor to take into account when handing down a sentence.

It may be a different story in Canada.