A Vancouver man charged in the fatal stabbing of his wife was sacrificing himself for China when she walked in and surprised him leading to her death, B.C. Supreme Court heard Dec. 9.
Jian Wei Wang, 52, is charged with second-degree murder in Jian Ying “Angela” Du's death on May 1, 2022.
Crown and defence are asking Justice David Crossin to find Wang not guilty by reason of a mental disorder.
Police were called to a disturbance at an Olympic Village apartment building where they found Du suffering from fatal stab wounds. She died at the scene.
Crossin heard Wang had been stabbing himself before she arrived and the knife was turned on her.
Wang was arrested at the scene.
Wang is also charged with assaulting Du on May 22, 2021. A June 2021 bail order included a no-contact with Du.
As part of the Dec. 9 proceedings, Crossin heard from forensic psychiatrist Dr. Robert Lacroix, who works at the B.C. Forensic Hospital and UBC.
Lacroix, who interviewed Wang and reviewed past psychiatric reports and records, said he had no animus toward Du.
He said Wang has a schizo-affective disorder, bipolar type that can be treated with mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics.
But, the doctor said, Wang has a history of being on such medications going as far back as his time in China nearly 30 years ago when his now-dead father would supervise his medication.
Lacroix said Wang had been put in private facilities several times by his father, who, as a government official, did not want to be embarrassed by his son being in a public facility.
The psychiatrist said Wang has poor insight into his condition.
He came to Canada with Du and medications were sent from China, the court heard; however, when his father died in April 2021, Wang stopped taking his medication and began deteriorating, Lacroix said. A month later, the assault he was charged with happened.
After that, Wang said he believed government agents were monitoring him through household appliances, that the CIA was involved and that his wife was conspiring with others to harm him.
Lacroix said Wang blamed Du for his arrest on the assault charge.
