The father of Jun Lin said he will be returning to China in January, but it’s hard to contemplate the future because he is still devastated by the loss of his son.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Diran Lin said through a translator that he’s “satisfied” with the “final result” after Luka Magnotta was found guilty last week in his son’s death.
Lin said that he felt the Canadian justice system was fair and just. However, he called the 40-day trial a “long” process.
Last Tuesday, jurors found Magnotta guilty of first-degree murder and four other charges in the May 2012 death and dismemberment of Jun Lin, a Chinese student living in Montreal.
Growing visibly emotional, Lin told reporters that the trial has taken its toll on his family. He explained that he is now worried about financial difficulties as he hasn’t been working in China since travelling to Canada for Magnotta’s trial and can’t find a job right now. Back in China, his wife is in poor health.
“I couldn’t sleep very well during the trial,” Lin said through a translator. “I feel very, very tired.”
Lin said he had “nothing” to say to Magnotta, other than to ask him “why he did this?”
“What he did was very cruel,” Lin said.
Magnotta did not take the stand during 12 weeks of testimony.
Despite the ordeal of the trial, Lin said that he felt “grateful” for the warmth Canadians have showed him. He said people would recognize him on the street and try to comfort him.
“We can’t communicate by language, but we can communicate by heart,” Lin said.
In an interview with CTV Montreal on Monday, the Lin family’s lawyer, Daniel Urbas, said that Diran Lin and his family had been “bracing themselves” in the days leading up to the verdict.
“He was quite tense and emotional at the time that they announced the verdict, and he’s had a week to calm down and absorb it and realize that what’s stretching ahead now is the rest of his life without his son,” Urbas said.
Urbas also said Diran Lin is willing to meet Magnotta face-to-face, in order to get the answers he’s seeking surrounding his son’s death.
“We need the consent not only of the accused or the convicted, but also of the authorities, so I would hope that would be forthcoming if the two men could agree on meeting before Mr. Lin leaves the country,” Urbas said.
In terms of Canadian financial aid, Urbas said that provincial legislation for victims of crime does not apply to the Lins’ case.
A website, linjunfamily.com, has been set up for people to leave messages and donations for the family. “We translate every single message given, whether it’s in English or in French, we will give it to the parents and let them know that other people care,” Urbas said.
Approximately $15,000 has been raised for the family of three, including Jun Lin’s mother and younger sister. But Urbas said more financial support is needed.
