The woman accused of second-degree attempted murder for allegedly stabbing her husband’s mistress when he asked for a divorce will spend the next six weeks undergoing fitness restoration. That was the decision handed down yesterday by Judge Randal Valenciano during
The woman accused of second-degree attempted murder for allegedly stabbing her husband’s mistress when he asked for a divorce will spend the next six weeks undergoing fitness restoration.
That was the decision handed down yesterday by Judge Randal Valenciano during Yu Mei Liu’s hearing to determine which entity should care for her until her next court date.
The decision was to send her to either the state hospital or the Kaua‘i Community Mental Health Center, according to court documents.
Liu’s case stems from allegations that she stabbed a woman after her husband showed up at the Tokyo Lobby restaurant with his girlfriend, asking for a divorce. Tokyo Lobby restaurant has since closed.
Liu, a slight woman, allegedly responded to the news by stabbing Ping Zhou, who had arrived with Liu’s husband, “Simon” Guang Yun Lin, until a neighboring business owner stepped in to help put an end to the altercation.
Zhou, who was initially hospitalized for stab wounds Jan. 10 after the alleged Harbor Mall attack, now lives in O‘ahu with Lin, despite the fact that Lin and Liu are still legally married.
Lin, who was not present in court during any part of the proceedings over the past nine months, declined several requests from The Garden Island to comment on the case and its surrounding circumstances.
Liu has been hospitalized three times for exacerbation of psychosis. However, after her third hospitalization on April 26, Liu improved under the direct supervision of health care staff, defense attorney Michael Soong said.
A panel of three doctors said Liu wasn’t fit to proceed to trial and that there had been no behavioral evidence of aggressive behavior since her arrest.
Soong filed a motion in March for an examination of defendant and a notice of intent to rely on a defense of mental disease, disorder or defect.
“When we originally moved for the mental motion it was just for her penal responsibility at the time of the offense,” he said. “But when she became hospitalized and possibly suicidal, I knew we needed to do a fitness test.”
Soong’s arguments yesterday to place Liu in outpatient care through the Kaua‘i Community Mental Health Center were based in part on the improvements she had made in recent months under close supervision, which wouldn’t necessarily be as readily available at the state hospital, his witnesses said.
If she were sent to O‘ahu another challenge is the fact that Liu speaks only Mandarin, and would be in need of a translator, Soong said.
“This case was fairly unique in that the offense, though it’s violent, is based on a certain set of circumstances,” he said. “Absent those circumstances, it wouldn’t happen.”
Though Valenciano went with the recommendations made by those speaking on the side of the defense, should Liu not progress further with KCMHC, Valenciano could take the recommendation of First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Winn and send Liu to HSH.
In Hawai‘i, the maximum punishment for second-degree attempted murder is life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Liu is scheduled to appear in court again at 8 a.m., Oct. 30, room No. 4.
