June 1, 2010

KEEP LI IN SECURITY AT SELKIRK OR TRANSFER HIM TO A PROVINCE THAT CAN: GOERTZEN

  Manitoba Progressive Conservative Justice Critic Kelvin Goertzen said under no circumstances should Vince Li, the man responsible for a gruesome beheading on a Greyhound Bus in 2008, be put into an unsecured environment at this early stage of his treatment.  

"If the Selkirk Mental Health Centre cannot provide the needed security than he should be transferred out of province to a facility that can,” said Goertzen. 

Goertzen said if the Criminal Code Review Board rules that greater outside access should be granted, Li should be moved to a high security facility in another province that can provide access in a secured environment. 

"There are serious and understandable concerns being expressed about the safety of allowing Mr. Li, so soon after that horrific night, to be put into an environment where there are no barriers to prevent an escape from custody," said Goertzen. "There has been an acknowledgement that Mr. Li still suffers from some hallucinations and needs extra security. Those reasons are enough at this point to demand a physical barrier between Mr. Li and the community." 

The Selkirk Mental Health Centre undertook its most recent review of security in October of last year when a patient who killed his step-mother was found with a knife, drugs, money, alcohol and was romantically involved with a staff person at the facility.