He smoked and got sauced - he had earned it, after all it was Tim threatening to kick my ass if I didn't graduate, and me knowing he would that pushed me to the finish line. He was very proud. He let loose, and he ate three-and-a-half 18-inch plates with heaping piles of food quite literally spilling over all the edges. The last day I was graced with his presence was at my prom a month before his demise. This was obviously why Tim loved the carnival so much. It too was nomadic, wild and loud with a constant cycle of new faces passing by - he was very much the living embodiment of it. We drunkenly danced like mad fools on an entirely empty floor, putting on a comedy show of sorts for onlookers who were already winding down for the night. Only he could pull that out of me. He was never concerned though, because he really did have more friends than he could shake a stick at (another of his favourite phrases). He preferred to let the wind blow him around to new people and places instead, never knowing what his next meal was or when or where it would be. Tim wasn't much for owning things unless they were his favourite movies or music, things he could and would give away before long (with the exception of Little Timmy, his pet iguana, and his mini chopper which was short lived) since he was a true modern day nomad and didn't have a place of his own to keep his things. He didn't like to hold a job for too long and usually got bored of it once he made all the friends he could. Tim was smarter than the average bear (one of his favourite things to say) and worked out so much he looked almost chipped from stone. He was extremely charismatic and often demanded the attention of a room with his presence and strong, magnetic personality. He was young and taken from us far too soon, and the world is a lesser place without him. One of his virtues was that he was unapologetically himself. I don't want to paint him as a saint or a perfect person because nobody is, and honestly it would be a disservice to his character to do so.
Lead image: Will Baker, formerly Vince Li, pictured in Portage La Prairie on August 5, 2008. Via John Woods/The Canadian Press.Tim McLean was a short man - something he'd put on his "tall clothes" and knock me around for saying that - but he was larger than life. McLean's mother, Carol de Delley, posted on Facebook after news of Baker's release was made public, saying she wasn't going to comment. Baker poses a significant threat to the safety of the public," it reads. "The review board is of the opinion that the weight of the evidence does not substantiate that Mr.
In their written decision the Manitoba Criminal Code Review Board wrote that they had considered all the evidence and testimony carefully.
This included supervised walks outside, unsupervised day passes and finally culminated in him being granted full release. Over the past nine years, Baker has been treated for schizophrenia and gradually was granted more and more freedom as the treatment furthered. The diagnosis was accepted by the court and Baker was sent to the Selkirk Mental Health Centre. When he put in the plea Baker said only three words to the court, "please kill me." Baker plead not criminally responsible due to mental health issues. He was like a robot, stabbing the guy."Īfter a standoff, Baker surrendered to police and faced a charge of second-degree murder. One witness described Baker as being calm during the attack saying, "there was no rage or anything. Baker said that he heard the voice of God telling him to kill McLean.