What Price Compassion

It was a warm evening in July 2008 when 22 year old Tim McLean was a passenger on a Greyhound bus bound for Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tim was on his way back to Winnipeg to visit his family. According to other passengers on the ill-fated bus trip that evening, Tim had headphones on and was sleeping when without any warning or provocation a total stranger decided to end his life in the most horrific way. 40 year old Vincent Li had gotten on the bus at Erickson, Manitoba. He first sat near the front of the bus but later moved to sit next to Tim. That’s when he pulled a ‘Rambo’ knife and repeatedly stabbed Tim McLean in the throat. As all hell broke out on the bus and the other passengers scrambled to get off, Mr. Li proceeded to behead Tim McLean and consume some of his flesh. By the time police arrived the suspect was pacing the length of the bus while holding up the severed head of Tim McLean and taunting the police and other bus passengers.

At his subsequent trial, Vincent Li was found not criminally responsible – due to mental illness! He didn’t have a history of mental illness but a Doctor examined him and found him to be schizophrenic. He was sent to a high security mental facility.

Two days ago an application was put forth to allow Vincent Li to have escorted outside walks on the grounds of the mental health facility where he is remanded. Even though he will have escorts, he will be outside of the confines of the high security unit.

Can you imagine how Tim McLean’s poor family must be feeling? Their son’s life was ended in a most horrific way and now his killer might get to feel his toes on the fresh cut grass and feel the warmth of the sun’s rays against his face.

Who the hell are we kidding? This man obviously is mental and beyond rehabilitation. Why not just dump him in a prison to serve out a sentence of murder? What exactly is the anticipated end result – that psychiatrists will be able to cure him of his mental disorder and he will be able to once again enter society and lead a normal life? Someone who did what he did will never be cured. And what if some miraculous intervention occurred and he was cured. Why should he get to carry on with the rest of his life when he so brutally ended someone else’s?

I don’t like the ‘Not Guilty by Mental Defect’ defence because it lets psychopathic killers off the hook for their actions. Sure they are still remanded – to a mental health facility as opposed to a prison. However their sentences usually stipulate that they will be held indefinitely until they are deemed to no longer pose a threat to themselves or society. So they snap today and kill someone but next month they’re fine and so they’re free?

Of course there are many advocates who will argue you cannot hold somebody responsible for something they don’t realize they are doing. They have no control over their actions. Therefore they cannot be judged by the same merits as other murderers.

My response – too bad! If there is one thing I have learned in 40 years it’s that life can sometimes be completely unfair. Sometimes you are dealt a shitty hand and are left to deal with the consequences. I think anyone who has a mental illness should have access to an appropriate level of care that will hopefully help them deal with and maybe even get over their disorder. However when that person then commits a crime – especially murder – then they should face the same punishment as you or I.

It’s because of this false sense of being compassionate that we constantly look to excuse people for their actions – to somehow make sense of their actions and justify it. We are a caring society and we take care of our sick. That’s great, but what about our victims and potential victims? Who takes care of them? Who advocates for their best interest.

If Vincent Li were allowed back into society there is a possibility he may never kill again. However there is also the possibility that he will once again snap and commit and equally horrific murder. Is it really in society’s best interest to take this risk? What if he were standing by a group of innocent young school kids the next time he starts to feel a murderous rage? Do you think it’s worth the risk? I’m sure bleeding heart liberals do, but then again they never have society’s best interest at heart, only their little ‘special interest’ pet projects.

Unbelievable!