Man found guilty of second-degree murder in death of Winnipeg taxi driver
A Winnipeg man accused of stabbing a taxi driver to death has been found guilty of second-degree murder.
Two sheriffs led Okoth Obeing into a Manitoba’s Court of Kings Bench court room Tuesday morning as his mother, father, brother and sister sat in the gallery.
The 23-year-old was accused in the killing of 44-year-old Balvir Toor in his cab on Burrows Avenue in the early morning hours of March 19, 2020.
"The events of March 19, 2020, are profoundly tragic," Justice Joan McKelvey said as she delivered her 70-page decision. "An innocent man, Balvir Toor, was stabbed to death as a consequence of the accused's fuelled-rage action."
McKelvey said it has been conceited that Obeing killed Toor by stabbing him 17 times.
She said, however, the issue in the case was to determine if Obeing, who has an intellectual disability and bipolar disorder, had the state of mind and capacity to appreciate what he did.
Court heard from a forensic psychiatrist who testified Obeing's disability and disorder left him unable to use thought to control his behaviour when he killed Toor.
However, McKelvey said there were other non-psychotic motives in the killing which she said the psychiatrist did not explore or investigate: anger, feelings of disrespect over Toor's request that he prepay, animus towards people of South Asian backgrounds.
"There is certainly evidence that could support an NCR (not criminally responsible) finding in this case. However, there is also strong evidence pointing in the direction of an intention to kill," McKelvey said.
She said Obeing's after-the-fact conduct also shows conscious thought, saying he fled from the scene, disposed of the weapon, washed blood from his hands and lied to police.
"Clearly, while he told Dr. Waldman he did not know what had triggered his actions, he certainly knew on March 19, 2020, and in the days and the weeks thereafter. This knowledge expressed to others cannot be discounted and shows an intent to kill," she said.
"That intent was fuelled by rage, animus, disrespect and racism that culminated in 17 stab wounds and the killing of Balvir Toor."
McKelvey found Obeing guilty of second-degree murder.
Outside the courthouse, Obeing's defence lawyer Alex Steigerwald said while his client is disappointed, they respect the reasons and the decision of the court.
"Certainly it was a complex case in a complex area of the law," he said. "Mental health was at the forefront of the case overall. My client is an individual who has suffered from a long-standing diagnosis of bipolar disorder as well as an intellectual disability."
He said it is too soon to say if they will be seeking an appeal.
A sentencing date has been set for April 27.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.