Man who beheaded Canadian bus passenger 'fit' to stand trial

Oct 7, 2008, 19:34 GMT

Washington - The Chinese immigrant who brutally stabbed, beheaded and then ate the flesh of his seatmate on a Greyhound Canada bus in July, is 'fit' to stand trial, news reports said Tuesday.

Vincent Li, 40, was charged with second-degree murder after the gruesome killing of carnival worker Tim McLean, 22.

'He is fit to stand trial. There is enough evidence to put him on trial for that charge,' defence lawyer Gordon Bates was quoted as saying by the Toronto Star.

The trial, expected to start November 6, will be based on whether Li can be held criminally responsible for this actions. In August, the court ordered a forensic psychological assessment to determine whether Li was fit to stand trial for the unprovoked murder.

Given the media attention the case has attracted, the report will not be made public as it could influence jurors.

'If someone committed an offence while suffering a disease of the mind and they don't know their actions are wrong, they can't be held criminally responsible,' the Star quoted defence lawyer Alan Libman as saying.

If it is determined that Li was not criminally responsible for the murder then he will be institutionalised and subjected to annual reviews by a mental health board.

When he first appeared in court in August, Li only said: 'Please kill me.' Lawyer Bates said Monday his client was not under suicide watch.

Li stabbed McLean with a large hunting knife at least 40 times, as 36 passengers watched. The driver pulled over to allow the others to disembark, and they stood on the highway watching the grisly murder unfold as they waited for police to arrive.

According to witnesses, Li beheaded McLean and walked to the front of the bus holding the head.