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Canadian Found Guilty of Murder in Body Parts Case Canadian Convicted in Body Parts Case
(about 5 hours later)
OTTAWA — It began with a package addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Inside was a severed human foot. Other body parts soon appeared in other parcels in Ottawa and British Columbia. In Montreal, a curious janitor found a torso in an abandoned suitcase. OTTAWA — It began with a package addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Inside was a severed human foot. Other body parts soon appeared in other parcels in Ottawa and British Columbia. In Montreal, a curious janitor found a torso in an abandoned suitcase.
The packages were only part of the grisly trail left by Luka Rocco Magnotta. In May 2012, Mr. Magnotta, a former pornographic film actor and escort, moved from posting online videos of himself killing kittens to recording his killing of Jun Lin, a Chinese student in Montreal, as well the dismemberment of Mr. Lin’s body and acts of necrophilia.The packages were only part of the grisly trail left by Luka Rocco Magnotta. In May 2012, Mr. Magnotta, a former pornographic film actor and escort, moved from posting online videos of himself killing kittens to recording his killing of Jun Lin, a Chinese student in Montreal, as well the dismemberment of Mr. Lin’s body and acts of necrophilia.
After he was arrested in Germany in June 2012, Mr. Magnotta acknowledged what he had done, but his lawyers argued that he was not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. But after an often harrowing 10-week trial, jurors in Montreal rejected Mr. Magnotta’s plea. He was convicted on Tuesday of first-degree murder and four other charges, including committing an indignity to a body.After he was arrested in Germany in June 2012, Mr. Magnotta acknowledged what he had done, but his lawyers argued that he was not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. But after an often harrowing 10-week trial, jurors in Montreal rejected Mr. Magnotta’s plea. He was convicted on Tuesday of first-degree murder and four other charges, including committing an indignity to a body.
Under Canadian law, the first-degree murder conviction brings an automatic sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Under Canadian law, the first-degree murder conviction brings an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The shocking nature of Mr. Lin’s death and the widespread publicity it generated meant that the Quebec Superior Court struggled to find 12 jurors and four alternates to try the case. During the trial, the jurors heard evidence suggesting that Mr. Magnotta was unusually vain even in his youth, and that the killing was effectively part of a calculated effort to become an online celebrity. They were shown trailers that Mr. Magnotta had posted online to promote the forthcoming release of his video of the killing, dismemberment and other acts, titled “1 Lunatic, 1 Icepick.” The shocking nature of Mr. Lin’s death and the widespread publicity it generated meant that the Quebec Superior Court struggled to find 12 jurors and four alternates to try the case. During the trial, the jurors heard evidence suggesting that Mr. Magnotta was unusually vain even in his youth, and that the killing was effectively part of a calculated effort to become an online celebrity. They were shown trailers that Mr. Magnotta had posted online to promote the coming release of his video of the killing, dismemberment and other acts, titled “1 Lunatic, 1 Icepick.”
Prosecutors argued that the only mental condition afflicting Mr. Magnotta was excessive narcissism. They suggested that by seducing Mr. Lin, as well as another man he bound and gagged but did not kill, Mr. Magnotta was retracing the plot of “Basic Instinct,” the 1992 film in which a novelist played by Sharon Stone seduced men and then killed them with an ice pick.Prosecutors argued that the only mental condition afflicting Mr. Magnotta was excessive narcissism. They suggested that by seducing Mr. Lin, as well as another man he bound and gagged but did not kill, Mr. Magnotta was retracing the plot of “Basic Instinct,” the 1992 film in which a novelist played by Sharon Stone seduced men and then killed them with an ice pick.
The trial judge, Justice Guy Cournoyer, rejected a request from prosecutors to screen that film for the jury, adding that he dozed off while attempting to watch it. “This is not a movie which has supported the test of time very nicely,” he said in court. “It’s such a bore.” The trial judge, Justice Guy Cournoyer, rejected a request from prosecutors to screen that film for the jury, adding that he had dozed off while trying to watch it. “This is not a movie which has supported the test of time very nicely,” he said in court. “It’s such a bore.”
Defense lawyers argued that Mr. Magnotta’s online postings and the killing of Mr. Lin were the result of schizophrenia, and that he was psychotic at the time of the killing. Defense lawyers argued that Mr. Magnotta’s online postings and the killing of Mr. Lin were a result of schizophrenia, and that he was psychotic at the time of the killing.
Before Mr. Lin’s body parts began appearing across Canada, Mr. Magnotta was investigated by police in Toronto, his hometown, in connection with the sexual assault of a 21-year-old woman who, experts said, had the mental capacity of an 8- to 12-year-old child. The charges were dropped. He was also investigated, and convicted, of fraud. Before Mr. Lin’s body parts began appearing across Canada, Mr. Magnotta had been investigated by the police in Toronto, his hometown, in connection with the sexual assault of a 21-year-old woman who, experts said, had the mental capacity of an 8- to 12-year-old child. The charges were dropped. He was also investigated for and convicted of fraud.
In 2007, he began anonymously posting comments online indicating that he was dating Karla Homolka, Canada’s most notorious female killer, who helped her husband rape, kill and torture three schoolgirls, including her younger sister. Mr. Magnotta then appeared at the offices of The Toronto Sun, a tabloid newspaper, to deny the suggestion.In 2007, he began anonymously posting comments online indicating that he was dating Karla Homolka, Canada’s most notorious female killer, who helped her husband rape, kill and torture three schoolgirls, including her younger sister. Mr. Magnotta then appeared at the offices of The Toronto Sun, a tabloid newspaper, to deny the suggestion.
Three years later, Mr. Magnotta was identified by animal rights activists and later by the police as the source of several ghoulish videos in which a man is seen killing kittens by various means. In one of them, he wears a Santa Claus hat.Three years later, Mr. Magnotta was identified by animal rights activists and later by the police as the source of several ghoulish videos in which a man is seen killing kittens by various means. In one of them, he wears a Santa Claus hat.
Again Mr. Magnotta contacted a tabloid newspaper, this time The Sun in Britain, to deny any connection to his online postings. Again, Mr. Magnotta contacted a tabloid newspaper, this time The Sun in Britain, to deny any connection to his online postings.
Before the police in several cities determined that the various severed body parts, including a head found in a Montreal park, belonged to Mr. Lin, Mr. Magnotta had fled to Europe. He was arrested in Berlin after someone in an Internet cafe spotted him reading news articles about himself.Before the police in several cities determined that the various severed body parts, including a head found in a Montreal park, belonged to Mr. Lin, Mr. Magnotta had fled to Europe. He was arrested in Berlin after someone in an Internet cafe spotted him reading news articles about himself.