That was one victim impact statement the criminal code review board couldn’t excise.
“Hey Vince, rot in hell you filthy bastard,” shouted Sandra Andrews to Vince Li, who decapitated and mutilated her nephew Tim McLean last year on a Greyhound bus.
Andrews launched the verbal attack as a handcuffed and shackled Li was escorted out of a Winnipeg court room yesterday, following his first appearance before a review board that will determine his fate later this week.
“We all feel the same she does,” said another family member as she stomped out of court in anger.
I can hardly blame the family for feeling angry and distressed with how this whole murder case was handled.
The fact Li — dressed in a dark grey suit and sporting a pretty nice pair of expensive New Balance running shoes — could ever walk the streets again is mind-boggling.
But it got even worse yesterday after the family was denied standing at the hearing, barring them from making submissions and asking questions through their legal counsel.
“We are disinclined to grant standing,” board chairman John Stefaniuk told the hearing, adding there’s no legal precedent for it.
No kidding. It pretty much sums up the entire justice system these days. Victims have no standing in it.
[More]
Broadbeck is dead on. Tim’s family home is just down the street from where I live. I drive past his home several times each day, and each time I do I think of him even though I did not know him personally. Driving past this morning my wife commented on what she thought was the overly ‘harsh’ feelings she thought Tim’s family had towards their son’s killer considering the fact that he had been found not guilty due to insanity. Here’s what I said in response. “If this guy had done this to my son I would hate him perhaps and likely even more ferociously than they do, if that is possible.” I had other thoughts also that I didn’t say to her and that I won’t say here but rest assured they had nothing to do with mercy or forgiveness.
It seems that every time for some twisted reason the media (at least here in Winnipeg) mentions this incident they cannot help but throw in the word “beheading” as though if they didn’t the public would have no idea exactly what killing on a Greyhound bus they were referring to. Hearing this descriptor must literally congure up visions each time of the horrific beastial act perpetrated on their son. I really don’t know how the family copes, it sounds as if they aren’t. It would literally tear me apart too.
“There is no medication that can treat the wound inflicted upon a person’s soul,” she said in a statement that was edited by the board.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/manitoba/2009/06/02/9647476-sun.html
Yet their hatred does more injury to themselves than to Vince Li…
“Hate” is a wasted emotion because the past can’t be changed. Better to fix things and move on.
Exactly right, Jack…
That being said, the point of the article (how shabbily the criminal justice system treats everyone but criminals) is valid. I wish I knew how to fix that.
I’m not certain you’re correct on how shabbily the justice system treats victims, Mac. In my neck of the woods the Crown and police bend over backwards to do what they can but it’s a tough uphill slog when you consider they are fighting the Charter.
How the hell can anyone explain that mess to the victim of a crime?
My view is that the Charter should be a living document subject to ammendment but the authors who conceived it (and we all know who THEY were) set the bar so impossibly high that it is carved in stone.
I don’t know how to fix it. Maybe if we fired Quebec.
I was in BC for most of the past two decades, Jack, so I’m more accustomed to that criminal justice system. Perhaps (and I certainly hope such is the case) Ontario treats witnesses, victims and police better than BC does.
Theoretically, the Constitution & Charter are living documents but Trudeau was determined to make his “legacy” immutable and, for all intents and purposes, he did.
The amending formula reminds me of the Norse legend of Baldur, the God of light and beauty. Bear with me… it’s been a while…
Everyone loved Baldur so when he had a premonition of his own death, his mother, Frigg, made everything on the earth swear they would not harm him. Unfortunately, Frigg missed asking mistletoe so Loki, the god of mischief, made an arrow of mistletoe and, during a great battle, Baldur was struck down.
As the world mourned, Frigg spoke to Hel, the god of the underworld, who said he would release Baldur if every single thing living on the planet wept… but a single giantess refused to weep so Baldur remains dead until Ragnarok.
The Constitution could be amended but the chances are better of Baldur being resurrected…