Vince Li to be allowed supervised walks in unfenced yard

Vince Li to walk in unfenced area

There will be more guards but no fence at a Winnipeg-area mental health facility where beheader Vince Li has been granted escorted walks.

Li is being held at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre after being found not criminally responsible for stabbing and beheading Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus exactly two years ago, on July 30, 2008.

The Manitoba NDP government stated in a news release issued Friday that two more full-time security officers have been hired and will be dedicated to escorting "forensic" patients.

All security staff members at SMHC are equipped with handcuffs and radios and designated special constables with special police tactical training from Manitoba Sheriff Services, according to the release.

About $400,000 has recently been spent on security upgrades, which include more video surveillance and access controls throughout the property.

A clinical staff member will also be present for the walks, which will only take place when staff levels are at their highest and will not occur until all risks have been assessed and security measures are in place.

Shortly after the press release was issued, Manitoba Minister of Health Theresa Oswald apologized to McLean's family.

"If the timing of this information has caused one ounce additional pain to the McLean family, I certainly want to offer my profound regret for that," she said.

The Criminal Code Review Board, which examines Li's care every year, decided this spring that he should be allowed walks with two staff members on the unfenced grounds.

Soon after that decision was made, the Opposition party Progressive Conservatives called on the government to transfer Li to a fenced-in facility outside the province.

Attorney General Andrew Swan rejected that idea because decisions about Li's custody and similar cases are made by the review board — an independent body that operates under federal guidelines — not the province.

2 months before Li gets walks

The government news release, which does not name Li specifically, stated it will take about two months to get all the security arrangements implemented.

Other recent enhancements include external and internal security reviews that led to policy and procedure changes, including increasing the detail and frequency of searches of rooms and people in the forensic area, the news release noted.

The measures were designed to ensure public safety and take into consideration the needs of the general population at SMHC who are there solely for health care, the release stated.

The SMHC provides long-term mental health and acquired brain injury in-patient treatment and rehabilitation services to residents of Manitoba whose treatment and rehabilitation needs cannot be met by other services in the province.

The security plan has been shared with the RCMP and they will be told when the walks begin.

Tim McLean, 22, was on his way home to Winnipeg when he was slain on a Greyhound bus on July 30th, 2008.

Vince Li was declared not criminally responsible last year for the killing of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus in 2008.

Security measures to be followed when Vince Li strolls grounds
Province sorry about timing of announcement
The province apologized Friday for announcing, on the anniversary of Tim McLean's death, the conditions under which convicted killer Vince Li will receive escorted passes from the Selkirk Mental Health Centre.
Health Minister Theresa Oswald said she was sorry for the gaffe, while the Conservative Opposition said it was a sign the Selinger government was more concerned for Li than the feelings of McLean's family.
The family had just returned from a morning visit to McLean's grave Friday when it learned through the media the province had approved a security plan so Li could begin taking two 15-minute strolls on the grounds of the mental health centre. The passes, which are expected to begin in two months, were ordered by the Criminal Code Review Board in early June.
Amanda Corrigan, McLean's sister, said she didn't appreciate learning about the new security procedures from a Free Press reporter. The province should have given the family notice before the information was released to the media, she said.
"I just think it's in bad taste (the way the situation was handled)."
Li was found not criminally responsible last year for the July 30, 2008 beheading of 22-year-old McLean on a Greyhound bus near Portage la Prairie. He admitted responsibility for the attack but a judge found him to be suffering from hallucinations and untreated schizophrenia at the time, which left him unable to appreciate or control his actions.
But over the past two years, Li has made great progress, his doctors said earlier this year. They convinced the review board to authorize the escorted strolls, prompting a public uproar. Justice Minister Andrew Swan said at the time the province would bar Li from walking outside the centre's locked forensic unit "unless and until" new security measures were in place.
On Friday, the province issued a press release setting out those new measures -- before it dawned on the minister or her staff the timing couldn't have been worse. "If the timing of this information has caused one ounce (of) additional pain to the McLean family, I certainly want to offer my profound regret for that," Oswald said. She said the timing of the announcement was inadvertent.
"This is a family that has endured pain (which), thankfully, very few of us will ever know and that no family should ever know. And so if more information about the development of Mr. Li's treatment on this day or any day hurts that family further, I think we should all feel regret for that. And certainly I do."
Conservative justice critic Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach) said Oswald's apology, while welcome, speaks to the fact that "everything about this decision is driven toward Mr. Li, and there has not been any consideration (given) to the victim's family."
He said his party still believes Li should be taking his escorted walks in a secure area or be transferred to a more appropriate institution.


Two security officers with 40 hours of police tactical training as well as non-violent crisis intervention training and one clinical staff member will escort Li on his walks.
The walks will be restricted to periods when staffing at the centre is at its peak. The centre has hired two new full-time security officers, bringing its complement to 12. There is also a full-time security manager.
Li's treatment team will assess all risks before issuing each individual pass.
No pass privileges will be approved until all security measures are in place in about two months. For instance, the centre is still consulting security experts about how much distance guards should give Li while he is out on his strolls.
The centre recently installed $400,000 in security equipment upgrades, including more video surveillance and access controls throughout the property.

Beheader could begin outdoor walks in 2 months
Vince Li could begin escorted walks with security staff around the Selkirk Mental Health Centre in about two months.
Exactly two years ago Friday, Li killed and brutalized Tim McLean aboard a Greyhound bus near Portage la Prairie.
Coincidentally, the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, where Li is being treated after being found not criminally responsible for the killing, released its plan Friday for upgrading security to accommodate a Criminal Code Review Board ruling that he be granted escorted walks around the unfenced grounds and to other areas of the complex like the gym, chapel and library.
McLean's father Tim Sr. slammed the timing of the announcement.
"We're very saddened by waking up to that news on Timothy's anniversary (of his death)," he said. "It's very insensitive."
Health Minister Theresa Oswald said the plans were made public Friday because that's when they were finalized.
"We have committed to keep the public informed. (The Selkirk MHC staff) were ready to go with their information today," Oswald said. "If the timing of this information has caused one ounce of additional pain to the McLean family, I want to offer my sincere regret."
The plans for Li's walks include the hiring of two more full-time security officers who will be dedicated to escorting Li and other forensic mental health patients on walks.
The centre's plan for Li also includes allowing the walks only at times when staffing levels are at their peak and assessing the risk before each walk is granted.
The RCMP has been advised of the plans and will be notified when the walks begin.
The new measures should be in place about two months from now, the centre said Friday. The walks can begin once the measures are in place.
Oswald said no fence will be installed around the complex for several reasons, including the fact that the next step in Li's treatment plan specified that he be allowed to walk in an unconfined environment and that it wouldn't be fair to the vast majority of the 230 or so patients at the centre, most of whom are not there as forensic patients.
"Selkirk Mental Health Centre is not a prison and ought not be treated like one," Oswald said, noting doing so would set mental health back 100 years. "The uniqueness of this case has people afraid but we need to be really careful about the stigmatization of mental illness."

Plans for Li to walk
Vince Li could begin escorted walks with security staff around the Selkirk Mental Health Centre in about two months.
Exactly two years ago Friday, Li killed and beheaded Tim McLean aboard a Greyhound bus near Portage la Prairie.
Coincidentally, the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, where Li is being treated after being found not criminally responsible for the killing, released its plan Friday for upgrading security to accommodate a Criminal Code Review Board ruling that Li be granted escorted walks around the unfenced grounds and to other areas of the complex like the gym, chapel and library.
The new measures should be in place about two months from now and the walks can begin once the measures are in place.
The plans for Li’s walks include the hiring of two more full-time security officers, who will be dedicated to escorting Li and other forensic mental health patients on walks.
The walks will only occur at times when staffing levels are at their peak and risk will be assessed before each walk is granted.
The plans do not include the installation of a fence, which Health Minister Theresa Oswald said was due to several reasons.
One is that the next step in Li’s treatment plan specified that he be allowed to walk in an unconfined environment. The other is that it wouldn’t be fair to the vast majority of the 230 or so patients at the centre, most of whom are not there as forensic patients.
“Selkirk Mental Health Centre is not a prison and ought not be treated like one,” Oswald said, noting doing so would set mental health treatment back 100 years. “The uniqueness of this case has people afraid but we need to be really careful about the stigmatization of mental illness.”
Oswald said it would be “foolhardy” not to acknowledge that part of the reason for the security is for Li’s own protection, but that the primary concern is public safety.
Danah Bellehumeur, CEO of the Selkirk facility, said no specific threats to Li’s safety have been received, although they have received some “concerns.”
“It’s just people who didn’t like the decision the (Criminal Code Review) board made,” she said.
Bellehumeur said her facility has tailored its security plans to the specific needs of other patients in the past, but said the level of security being imposed on Li is higher than other patients.
The RCMP has been advised of the plans and will be notified when Li’s walks begin.

Measures announced on tragic anniversary
The fact that security plans for Vince Li’s escorted walks were made public on the two-year anniversary of his crime did not go unnoticed Friday.
Tim McLean Sr., whose son Tim Jr. was brutally killed by Li on July 30, 2008, found out about the plans Friday by reading about them on an online news site shortly after he’d returned from visiting the cemetery where his son was laid to rest.
He was not impressed.
“We’re very saddened by waking up to that news on Timothy’s anniversary,” he said. “It’s very insensitive.”
Tory justice critic Kelvin Goertzen also took issue with the timing.
“I think it’s shameful we’re talking about this today,” Goertzen said Friday. “I think it’s indicative of how all the attention has gone to Mr. Li and not to Tim McLean’s family.”
Health Minister Theresa Oswald said the plans were made public Friday because that’s when they were finalized.
“We have committed to keep the public informed. (The Selkirk MHC staff) were ready to go with their information today. The Selkirk Mental Health Centre committed to come forward with it as soon as possible,” Oswald said Friday. “If the timing of this information has caused one ounce of additional pain to the McLean family I want to offer my sincere regret.”

I completely agree with Li being allowed to have walks outside. He is not legally a criminal, but a mentally ill individual and therefore, should not be deprived of his basic human rights, that even prisoners are entitled to. He is still entitled to his human rights. Confinement can hinder treatment and have adverse effects whereas walking outside and getting fresh air can be beneficial to Li's treatment and mental condition. He deserves that right. He did not kill McLean intentionally and was in a completely different mind state 2 years ago than he is today. He does not pose a danger to the public, especially being escorted by two security officers. He should not be punished for actions which were unintentional. This man is mentally sick and needs help and treatment to overcome and manage his illness. Further depriving him of his rights would not be beneficial. That is merely revenge. This man is mentally ill. Justice has been served. Why would Li run away? He is in a completely different and improved mindset and knows what the severity of his crime was. Society should not be advocating vengeance, execution, deportation or imprisonment of the mentally ill. It appears as if our society lacks any sort of compassion and sympathy towards the mentally ill. What Li did was unintentional. He did not understand the consequences or nature of his action at the time and he was not mentally present. He was completely out of touch with reality and his logic and reason were impaired. 

Apparently someone who has a chemical/electrical imbalance in the brain needs to be kept in a dark cell and never allowed out. Perhaps all people who post thoughts like that should give simular consideration to anyone suffering from a mental impairment, such as Alheimers, certain forms of stroke, Autism,etc, any of which can manifest into violent behaviour.

Sticking your head in the sand, or other places only serves to never change your perspective.

This man needs constant help for the rest of his life, its tragic the events that happened, but that doesn't mean we get to make Mr. Li societies punching bag for something he has no control over. And before anyone says 'he should have stayed on his meds' do a little reading on the matter of compliance and the mentally ill, then you'll understand why he went off his meds.

I can't believe folks who say Li is a criminal.

Li was suffering sever mental illness of the worst kind.

it can happen to anyone.

as disgusting as the comments are, I still pray schizophrenia does not strike someone in your family.

Tim McClean's death was a tragedy. And a failure of our HEALTH services.
there are Thousands of mentally ill persons walking free, free to not take their meds, because YOU, Society cried aloud about the costs....

Well, now the costs are a lot higher because of the willful blindness of society

What's the difference between this case and the case where someone had a seizure while driving and killed someone? Nothing, but I am guessing most of you wouldn't have a problem if the driver was allowed to be free. Double standard here. Mental illness VS physical illness - same thing.

The comments here all point to exactly why there is no respect for people with serious mental illnesses, whether you like it or not, the guy had no idea what the hell he was doing, and its that attitude i.e. the ignoring of his mental illness, that led to him being out in the community in the first place without treatment and to his actions on that bus. He may be seriously mentally ill, but it amazes me at the inability for people who are not to actually think before they open their mouths. If we treated mental health seriously, he would have been treated along time ago and most likely nothing would have happened that night.

You people are over the top. If you want to live somewhere with strict "tough on crime" retribution, why don't you move to Texas? They have it there. They also have a HUGE crime rate. Go figure. It's been repeatedly proven that "tough on crime" does NOT equal "less crime". The cover of this week's Economist is precisely about how prison's in the US are overflowing.

And while you're at it, please, for the love of god, count your blessings that you weren't born with a defect that causes such a horrific mental illness. This man probably lives in his very own personal mental hell every day of his life. Four guards and an occasional walk is fine, IMO. He clearly needs to be kept under guard the rest of his life (barring some miracle cure). But I'm sorry, this was not some heated crime of a vindictive, angry individual. It was the crime of a seriously mentally unwell person. It's not black and white. I am just so grateful that I don't have such horrible fortunes.

I also express the utmost sympathies to the victim's family. Nobody wins in this situation. No matter the outcome of retribution.

I think we need to separate our anger and revulsion at the act that Li committed while psychotic, from the fact that he is ill and needs humane treatment and rehabilitation.

Even as I write this, I feel overwhelming anger and disgust at the tragedy and want to blame somebody. But the rational and educated part of me reflects on the nature of the incident, and feels glad that we are an enlightened society that recognizes and treats illness.

Sorrowful as I feel for the McLean family, I think these walks are the right thing to do.

you miss the main point in our legal system. Li commited no crime. A delusion commited the crime. Li had no intent, murderous or otherwise to cause harm.

The events that unfolded were beyond Li's control. Only meds would have helped, and the Liberal and liberal society has said we cannot force them to take medicine..... Therefore, Society initiated the events that happened.

Society needs to take a look in the mirror and decide how they want to deal with mental illness. Cause Mental Illness is on the rise, and things are gonna get a lot worse if we don't deal with it now

The man is mentally ill, he is not a monster even though he did a monstrous, horrific thing. I would assume he is on some kind of medication and surely this is not the same as him walking free down Portage Avenue.

I agree that this should be left to the experts and not a lynch mob.

What is wrong with you people? I never once dreamed in my life that I lived in a country where so many people were intolerable towards the mentally ill. Have you never come into contact with these people before? He's not responsible for his crimes, he's schizophrenic. You might want to look it up, then perhaps visit a mental hospital and see for yourselves. I really hope that you along with your family does not get diagnosed, but if it happened.. then you'd understand.
I wish Tim didn't have to die, it's a very very disgusting and sad way to go, but it happened and he's not criminally responsible.
Grow up, get a grip, and get educated. The public is so ignorant and uneducated about mental illnesses.

"In his written ruling, the judge said those who are profoundly ill do not have the mental capacity to intentionally commit a crime. "It is clear that since the 19th century the law has distinguished between those persons who commit criminal acts because of a mental disorder and sane persons," Scurfield said."

He was found to be not criminally responsible due to his illness. Read the article.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by a disintegration of the process of thinking, of contact with reality, and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction.

Imagine suffering this on a daily basis. Imagine someone you love having to live through this. I bet you'd be a little more sympathetic.

He's a very sick man. Yes, what he did was beyond horrible, but lynching him won't help anyone.

good for him to get this walk .all mentally people should have rights for their health under supervision by guards. we don't act like barbarians to stop the ill people for better treatment in this country. nobody wants to be sick and insane,they deserve a 2nd chance to get back on their feet ( heathy )

I bet everyone on here has family and friends that suffer from mental illness, Yes they vary in degrees of severity, but can any of you actually say you know what it's like to suffer from severe schizophrenic episodes? Get a grip you're all starting to sound a lot like the Republican band wagon.

For those who seem to want Li hanged, drawn and quartered or burned at the stake:

Whether he's mentally ill or just a menace to society, criminally responsible or not, this doesn't happen for two good reasons:

1) Punishment in the justice system is supposed to serve as a deterrant to those who might otherwise wish to commit a crime. This only works on criminals who are "rational" thinkers in the sense that they will weigh the risks and benefits of said crime before deciding whether or not to commit it. This clearly does not apply to a man who lives an entire life in normality, and then suddenly, for no apparent reason and for no personal gain, commits suich an atrocity and then asks to be killed afterwards.

2) So you disregard my first point, and say you'd like to see him pay for what he's done proportionately. In your mind, the justice system is all about vengeance. One doesn't need to know very much history in order to understand why this rage-driven, "burn em at the stake" mob mentality can be problematic. The justice system is supposed to protect citizens first and foremost (although you might argue it hasn't done this well enough as of late), it's purpose is not to enact revenge and fulfil our bloodlust.

To those suggesting that he be deported to China: he can't be. He was a already a Canadian citizen when the crime was committed. AFAIK Canada has no provision for stripping citizenship for committing a crime. They may deport non-citizens, but once you're accepted as a citizen you are the responsibility of Canada...for better or for worse.

Lots of ignorant people on this board putting their two cents in on someone who a legitimate mental health illness. So if your son or daughter was psychotic or hearing voices to do it and killed someone, you would throw them away like a piece of trash? We are in the 21st century , people. Get informed, read something about mental illness. I am sorry for the young man's family but i have a little compassion for what Vince Li is going through too.

According to the courts, this man is a patient, not a criminal. As such, he has been treated not as a criminal, but rather as a high-risk patient. It seems that he is now considered to be not so high-risk a patient. This is a medical evaluation by experienced professionals.
Cases like this are taken very seriously. There is no pressure for patients to progress through a system towards release. Their treatment, restrictions and potential release are guided by medical evaluation, and it doesn't matter to the doctors if the whole process takes 6 months or 142 years. So there is no reason for laypersons to suggest that the patient is not ready fro whatever step if the people responsible for his care think otherwise.
Yes, he did psychopathic things while in a psychotic state. This does not mean that he is some kind of Hannibal Lecter just waiting for the opportunity to strike again. He was very sick and did horrible things. It may that he never gets released and that he lives the rest of his life in a psychiatric institution.
But that doesn't mean he needs to be treated like a rabid animal. As long as he is supervised and he is taking the appropriate medication or other treatment, he is likely not a significant risk to anybody.
Also, I doubt the Selkirk facility is in the middle of town. If he did try to run AND got away from those guarding him, he would not get far - especially when all the people looking for him know the area and he does not.

This man's medical history is no one's business. Bi-Polar doesn't work the way you people think. Things just happen, rage, sorrow, grief, anxiety, happyness, sexual urges, shame... ALL the emotions that all of you have that are normal are exagerated in a bipolar person as much as 10 times. They cannot help it, it just happens. Agreed he is dangerous when there is no one monitoring his meds, but since this can 100% be controlled with the proper meds, as long as someone is monitoring it he is perfectly safe.

It's a wonderfull thing that Canada isn't like the US where they execute Mentally ill 13 year olds for killing the person that sodomized them since they were little.

This man has to live with what he did the rest of his life, he will be in that prison, everytime the guild phase of the emotions cycle in, he relives every evil rotten thing he has ever thought and done since he can remember over and over and over. Don't sit there on your high horses and think that you know what is best for this man. Remember in the Bible it says judge not, unless ye be judged.

After reading a couple pages of comments, it is suddenly easier to see why the treatment of the severely mentally ill is left to trained medical professionals instead of the consensus of a town hall meeting.

Maybe the RCMP should have done something at the time of the attacks. But their lack of action, whether the best decision at the time or not, is not the fault of Mr. Li or the people charged with his care.

Li committed horrifying acts. But a court found that he had no choice in the matter - he did not have the capacity to choose between right and wrong, if he even had the capacity to choose at all. Paul Bernardo was found to have chosen to commit his horrifying acts. That is why Li is treated differently than Bernardo.

For those who think a few walks outside in a limited area under the close supervision of three people for a short period of time before being back behind locked doors again is equal to the freedom most people enjoy, well, they have a funny way of looking at things.

If Li was on the criminal side, and was subjected to involuntary medical treatment and detention for an indeterminate period of time, this would be found to violate the Charter of Rights, and might well be classified as abuse, if not torture. Psychiatric detention is only "getting off easy" to those that have never experienced it.

Most people's definition of justice is extremely frightening. 

It may comfort people to know that the plea of not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder (NCRMD) is very rarely accepted by the courts. Also, on average a person found to be NCRMD is confined for longer in a mental institution than they would have been confined in a jail if they were simply found guilty.

The fact that the act this person committed was so horrifying seems to be a good indication that he really was suffering from a serious mental disorder when he killed. There could be no reason why a sane person would kill a stranger in such a disgusting fashion while on a bus full of witnesses for no apparent reason.

I expect Li will probably be locked up for the rest of his life. If he is released and harms someone else, not only would the entire NCRMD system be condemned by the general public, but I'm sure that the members of the Criminal Code Review Board would feel a tremendous guilt. The Review Board has no incentive to release Li unless they are positive that he poses zero risk to reoffend.

The system is not broken. Li's act was horrifying and he will not be released in the near future. Allowing him to go on heavily supervised walks will not lead to disaster.

Pretty routine progressive procedures afforded MANY seriously disturbed mental health-violent cases. Some psychiatric hospitals have the means such as high security forensic wards designed to control against harming others/self. As some patients get better or if their risks are reduced, they may earn more privileges.

Canada has a pretty progressive stance in that people like Li will get sentenced under Lt Governor warrant to be seconded to mental health facility instead of a prison.

Many other countries might simply pack him away in a prison without intervention. Its a tough thing to accept given the terrible injustice delivered to the victim, but this kind of approach tends to separate civilized societies from barbaric ones.

Psychiatrists just understand that there's no point in severely punishing someone who can't even understand why they did what they did. It would be like punishing a rabid animal to try to stop it from attacking.

Once a patient has such a serious mental break, it is unlikely that they return to acceptable standards for safe public behaviour. Unfortunately, he'll probably get out and be re-arrested. That's the way, though. The victim in the justice system is always the criminal."

First, you are wrong. Most people return to full functionality. Cite your source, because mine is in interviews with his pyschiatrist which were broadcast.

Second, he is not a criminal, deemed not mentally competent. He is a shizophrenic.

And you, along with 90 others, have commited an offense under the Charter of Rights & Freedoms and Manitoba Human Rights Code.

Discrimination on basis of real or perceived mental disability.

This makes you a criminal, and I would say with your internet anonymity you are highly likely to re-offend.

This man does not deserve to be punished. He is entitled to any human rights as you or I. He is being held in a mental institution because there is a potential for harming himself or others. He did not choose this disease and he is not to blame for not taking his meds because he had not been prescribed any. He had not been diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to this incident because he had not shown symptoms.
He deserves our sympathy.
And yes so does Tim Mclean and his family.

This is a mentally ill human being. You guys are a bunch of barbarian savages with bloodlust in your posts. The man needs walks. Leave it be.

What is mind boggling to me is the ignorance shown on this board. I am not talking about malicious ignorance, but just the amount of people who don`t even understand the first thing about mental illness and the way people are sentenced when they are found to be *not criminally responsible*.

Most don`t even seem know what `psychotic` mean. I have seen it confused with `psychopathic`in the past!

Vince Li is schizophrenic and was expedriencing a psychotic episode when he killed Tim. He is therefore not criminally responsible. He was insane at the time. He is still being held responsible (obviously, he did it) but not *criminally* responsible.

Only people who are found criminally responsible are sentenced to the death penalty.

Mentally ill people who are found `not guilty by reason of insanity` or as they call it here `not criminally responsible`are not killed. They are treated, not punished which is as it should be.

My blood runs cold at the brutal and verbose hatred of the ill that I see here. Any one who has a brain can become mentally ill at any time. Pray to God that you do not ever have to face this in yourself or those you love. Maybe when you are isolated because your family and everyone you know curses you and walks out you will learn some compassion. Until then, you cannot consider yourselves decent or ethical. The inabllity to feel empathy is one of the first signs of psycopatholgy.

If this man had been identified and helped when he first started to come apart...If our system put as much into helping the mentally ill as it does other kinds of disorders...If the mentally ill were not bullied with these kind of comments and all the ones that are supposedly funny, maybe...

Li is not legally a criminal, but a mentally ill individual who should is still entitled to his basic human rights. The majority of the public is seeking only revenge, not justice. Li should not be punished for actions which were unintentional. Li needs mental treatment and counseling, not punishment and further deprivations. We cannot blame Li for what happened; we can only blame schizophrenia. This man needs humane treatment and rehabilitation. The public appears to be largely ignorant and uneducated regarding mental illnesses, which is sad.