A lawyer representing Li Zhao, the 54-year-old West Vancouver man charged with the second-degree murder of his wife’s cousin in a British Properties mansion, says his client is “very concerned” by many of the “sensational and outrageous claims” made this week in a news conference by a lawyer representing the victim’s family.
Brent Olthuis — who represents Zhao, his wife Xiao Mei Li and their daughter Yiming Zhao civilly — made his comments after a lawyer for the brother of the victim, Gang Yuan, suggested that a family dispute about money and assets may have played a role in Yuan’s killing.
Brock Martland, Zhao’s criminal defence lawyer, also called it “bizarre” and “highly unusual” that a lawyer hired by the victim’s family had put out alleged details of the case not released by the police — likely without seeing “police reports or the evidence to support spurious allegations.”
“I think it’s important that we slow down and respect that evidence gets put forward in a judicial process in a careful and thoughtful way, instead of simply throwing around mean-spirited allegations in press briefings,” he said.
Zhao has not yet entered a plea to the murder charge or a second charge he faces of interfering with a dead body by cutting it up. None of the charges has been proven in court.
But Olthuis said Friday his clients deny all of the allegations made by the victim’s family at the press conference, adding the allegations are “inconsistent with the charges Mr. Zhao faces.”
On May 15, lawyers for Yuan’s estate filed a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court asking that the $5.8-million mansion at 963 King Georges Way be turned over to Yuan’s estate.
In the lawsuit, Yuan’s estate alleges the money to buy the house came from Yuan, who paid the mortgage, taxes and all the bills associated with the property, even though
Zhao and Li are the registered owners.
Yuan — a wealthy businessman whose estate is estimated at more than $20 million — was found dead in the West Vancouver mansion May 3 after police received information about a violent confrontation at the home.
A bail hearing for Zhao will be held within the next two weeks in B.C. Supreme Court.
