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| Canada beheading hearing delayed | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A Canadian judge has delayed a hearing that was due to decide if a man charged with beheading a fellow bus passenger should be sent for psychiatric tests. | |
| The judge is giving Vince Weiguang Li, 40, time to consult a legal aid lawyer, the Associated Press reports. | |
| Mr Li is accused of second-degree murder after he allegedly stabbed and decapitated 22-year-old Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus on 31 July. | |
| Mr Li appeared in court in Manitoba on Friday but remained silent. | Mr Li appeared in court in Manitoba on Friday but remained silent. |
| It is not clear when Mr Li will appear in court again. | |
| Police have provided no motive for the attack which happened in front of terrified passengers. | Police have provided no motive for the attack which happened in front of terrified passengers. |
| Eyewitnesses on board the bus, which was travelling through a desolate stretch of Canada's vast prairies, said Mr Li, a former church custodian, stabbed Mr McLean, who was sitting next to him, 50 or 60 times. | Eyewitnesses on board the bus, which was travelling through a desolate stretch of Canada's vast prairies, said Mr Li, a former church custodian, stabbed Mr McLean, who was sitting next to him, 50 or 60 times. |
| He then severed his head with a large knife, reportedly brandishing the head to terrified passengers. | He then severed his head with a large knife, reportedly brandishing the head to terrified passengers. |
| According to a recording published on the internet of intercepted police radio transmissions from the scene, the attacker was seen to eat parts of his victim's flesh. | According to a recording published on the internet of intercepted police radio transmissions from the scene, the attacker was seen to eat parts of his victim's flesh. |
| Witnesses said Mr Li did not appear to know the sleeping victim and that the attack began without warning. | Witnesses said Mr Li did not appear to know the sleeping victim and that the attack began without warning. |
| 'No anger issues' | 'No anger issues' |
| Mr Li, who immigrated to Canada from China four years ago, is being kept in custody in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. | Mr Li, who immigrated to Canada from China four years ago, is being kept in custody in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. |
| Church pastor, Tom Castor, who helped hire Mr Li after he immigrated, told the AP news agency that the suspect never showed any sign of anger or emotional problems. | |
| "He seemed like a person who was happy to have a job, was committed to doing it well and didn't stand out in any way (in terms of) having anger issues or having any other issues," Castor was quoted as saying. | "He seemed like a person who was happy to have a job, was committed to doing it well and didn't stand out in any way (in terms of) having anger issues or having any other issues," Castor was quoted as saying. |
| Mr Li was also vetted by church officials and his references were checked. He did not have a criminal record and there did not appear to be any other signs of problematic or troubled past. | Mr Li was also vetted by church officials and his references were checked. He did not have a criminal record and there did not appear to be any other signs of problematic or troubled past. |
| If evidence shows the attacker was mentally ill and did not understand what he was doing, criminal charges may not stand up, Fred Shane, a Manitoba forensic psychiatrist, told the Reuters news agency. | If evidence shows the attacker was mentally ill and did not understand what he was doing, criminal charges may not stand up, Fred Shane, a Manitoba forensic psychiatrist, told the Reuters news agency. |