toronto sun: sick puppy pushes woman in front of subway
Mark Denman
'She had a feeling she was going to die
young'
Charlene Minkowski's biggest fear was the subway
By GRETCHEN DRUMMIE
"I just got up and marched down to the subway and pushed
somebody in."
-- Herbert Cheong in his police statement
Something about the Toronto subway filled Charlene Minkowski
with dread. Perhaps, her family says, she sensed that's where her
life would end. "She was afraid of the subway. It was her biggest
fear," Barbara Minkowski said of her eldest daughter, who was
killed last year by a stranger who raged into the Dundas St. train
station, chose his beautiful prey, and pushed.
"The subway did bother her," agreed Charlene's best friend,
Agnes DeOliveira. "She found there were a lot of weird people
there and she worried about it; it sort of scared her. She always
felt something was going to happen, deep down inside.
"She had a feeling she was going to die young."
Fate stalked Charlene Minkowski, moving her toward
schizophrenic drifter Herbert Cheong and his diabolical plan.
In the ultimate act of random violence, Cheong, 43, played out a
twisted fantasy. For years, he daydreamed about pushing a
lovely woman into the path of an oncoming subway. He even
practised once, having shoved a woman into the side of a train to
see how much effort it would take.
"All the time ... when I get mad, I do it in my eyes. I vision the
girl
in front of me. I vision myself pushing her into the subway,"
Cheong told police after he'd done it. "She was just a victim ...
just a victim. I looked over and she was right there and I said,
'Great, she's there. So let's do it.' So I pushed her. I saw the train
... and I pushed her into it."
Charlene Minkowski died Sept. 26, 1997 at 9:05 p.m., 10 hours
after Cheong stepped up behind her. She glanced around once,
"noticed" him and "that's when I made my action and pushed
her," he said.
Her killing tore at Toronto's heart. For a time, commuters waited
with their backs to the wall. Most surmised it was the work of a
deranged sociopath, believing he'd be found not mentally fit to
stand trial and locked away in a psychiatric facility.
However, yesterday, Cheong pleaded guilty to second- degree
murder because he understood his crime and the consequences.
He'll be sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility to be
determined. It would seem there was nothing anyone could have
done to stop it. Or was there?
Charlene Minkowski was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But why was Cheong there?
It seems Cheong has wondered the same thing: "I was looking
for a person to push in the subway. I told my doctor that I felt
like killing somebody at times and he wouldn't lock me up, and
he wouldn't certify me or put me in the hospital or change my
medication, for some reason."
"I'm very angry," Barbara Minkowski said in an interview last
week at her comfortable Mississauga home. "If they had kept
him in the hospital, if they watched him closer, it could have been
prevented. I'm angry with the system and I'm angry with the
hospitals. I blame the (health care) cuts.
"If they knew he was mentally ill, what was he doing on the
street?"
Ultimately, she holds Cheong to blame.
"I think he knew exactly what he was doing," she said. "He was
crying out for help, but nobody wanted to give him help. He was
looking for a roof and food and he was very smart to know the
way to get what he wanted was to kill someone."
She's lost 50 pounds, her hands shake, she's sad and constantly
tear-stained. She has nightmares, can't go downtown or look at a
subway stop and visits Charlene's grave daily.
Despite her grief, Barbara Minkowski is determined to keep a
vow she made to herself: "As long as I'm alive, he's going to stay
( in prison). There's no way I'm going to let him walk on the
street again. He's never going to harm another human being. I'm
going to fight. I won't rest.
"He was not permitted to take that life from her."
He wandered Toronto's streets, not necessarily homeless, just
when he was evicted from rooming houses for drugs or bad
behaviour. Many saw him, shuffling toward the Clarke Institute
for one of his countless out-patient psychiatric visits. Or sitting on
a subway seat talking to the hallucinations in his mind. With few
friends and no leisure activities, Cheong spent much of his time
smoking crack.
Charlene Minkowski was a gorgeous, brown-eyed brunette with
a zest for life, a terrific new job in downtown Toronto, a
handsome fiance. People smile before describing her: "Char was
one in a million. She'd help anybody," said DeOliveira. "I've
never met anyone like her. She had such a good heart."
Those who knew Cheong paint a confusing portrait of him: "He
wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow, Cheong's
roommate at Dowling Community Service Residence. "He was
kind of inward and kept to himself." Gerry Whyte remembered
Cheong as a "big baby" with a hankering for action movies and
board games. He said Cheong, who had a "low tolerance,"
appeared to be estranged from his family, but a brother would
drop by occasionally and give him $10. Residence director Dana
Slapak-Berger nicknamed Cheong "Chunky" and said he was
"never violent and was especially nice to women."
The Toronto-born Cheong was one of eight children of immigrant
parents from Hong Kong. His childhood was unremarkable. He
was an average student who finished Grade 9, but left school at
15 when he discovered drugs and booze. He had a short career
in the auto industry, but soon found crack and then lived on
assistance.
Cheong's parents ran a family laundry business and he describes
himself as having "grown up in a laundromat." His father was
strict and traditional, fearing his children would become involved
romantically with non-Chinese. He tried three times to arrange
marriages for his son. His mother was passive and uninvolved.
In 1978, Cheong started hearing female voices in his head.
Charlene was their "miracle baby ... the biggest blessing."
Barbara and Kazik Minkowski welcomed their first child, a
premature girl who looked "like a doll," on Feb. 19, 1974. She
was their charlotka -- flower. "Charlene was unique from the day
she was born .... different," said her mom.
Stroking Charlene's chihuahua Tazzy, Minkowski remembered
her daughter -- her "best friend." As a child, Charlene "liked to
be a little princess. Not a spot on her." That tendency carried into
adulthood, as she dressed immaculately.
Charlene's sister, Vanessa, five years her junior, said they were
just getting to know each other as women. "She was my
protector," Vanessa said.
Charlene was a strong Catholic, a good student, took piano,
swimming and skating lessons. "She was just so happy. What
was beautiful about Charlene was that she always tried to fit in."
She'd often say, "Mommy, I want you to be proud of me."
"We were very close. We didn't have any secrets." Charlene
would come home late at night from some adventure, sit on the
edge of her mother's bed and say, "Mommy, we have to talk,"
and they would, for hours sharing confidences.
"I never fought with Charlene ... there was a special bond which
you cannot separate," her mother said. "Charlene was very caring
and very sensitive and very giving. She was more happy to give
than to take; so much love."
She yearned to work with disabled children, but the course she
wanted was full at Humber College, so she studied to be a legal
assistant, graduating in June "The only time I worried about
Charlene was when she started working downtown," Barbara
Minkowski said. "Every day, I was scared to death."
Cheong once described women as "dogs on the street." He has a
history of short-term relationships. He says his last involvement
ended two years before; "basically never did get along with them
in some sort of way."
Court heard Cheong has recurrent dreams of being vengeful
toward women and felt he was manipulated by them. He heard
voices for years, telling him to "push a girl" and at times he would
threaten to kill.
Cheong's first admission to the Clarke Institute was in 1978; he
was confused and paranoid. He was admitted there 15 times
over the years -- besides countless out-patient visits.
In 1982, Cheong was convicted of mischief for vandalizing cars
-- he thought the voices were coming from them. In 1988, he
said, voices urged him to push a female. In 1989 he felt "hostile"
on a subway platform but controlled himself. Then he lied about it
to have a "holiday" in hospital.
In 1992, he was evicted twice from boarding houses and was
short of cash. In 1993, he was having thoughts of hurting
someone.
In 1995, he said he felt like raping a woman.
His last hospital visit was two days before he pushed Charlene,
when he was overheard saying to nurses: "When I walk down the
street, I want to kill somebody."
Charlene caught a bride's bouquet the summer before her death.
She had already found the man she wanted to marry, Michel
Abboud, her "soulmate."
She was blissful; working at her new job as a title searcher at the
law firm of Baker McKenzie.
"It was love at first sight," Abboud said. " My heart would beat.
I'd get butterflies when I thought of her."
The couple planned marriage and, on her last day, they were to
move in together into her parents' home. They were supposed to
take that day off but, at the last minute, Abboud had to work, so
they agreed to meet at lunch, after her work-related errands. He
said she looked her best in a lime green top and black jeans.
"She'd attract attention," he said.
Charlene entered the subway station at 11:30 a.m.
When he got word, Abboud rushed like "a madman" to
Charlene's hospital bedside. Her family was doing likewise,
driven by police; dazed, not comprehending.
"I couldn't believe what I was hearing," Abboud said. "I was with
her to the end. I said good-bye; it was the hardest thing I've ever
done in my life. I didn't understand. I had no clue it could be such
senseless violence. I asked for the reason and there was no
reason. I can never forgive this guy."
Charlene's mother said when she heard the worst she went into a
trance-like state for 10 days. "She was lying there with a tube
and the nurse was putting in blood and I asked if she was going
to be okay and she said 'no'," said the mom. "I started to shake. I
got numb. They were talking about death ... I didn't want to
know."
She held Charlene's hand, kissed her arm and stroked her. "Her
skin was so soft," she sighed. "I said goodbye ..."
For the next two weeks, she waited for Charlene to call at 9:45
a.m., as always.
"I'm gonna kill a female," he said.
Cheong's motive? He was evicted from Dowling St. that morning
and planned to move to Guelph. But he needed money from the
Public Trustee. Without an appointment, they asked him to wait.
Instead his anger built and Cheong thought of the subway.
He stomped into the station and stood "contemplating" victims for
15 minutes. Then he saw Charlene: "She looked like a celebrity
on TV. She looked like a model, or model-type girl that always
seemed to wanna criticize me. It's hard to say why I picked that
girl," he said.
"I swore to myself that I was going to get somebody back."
When asked if he knew pushing could kill, Cheong replied, "Yes,
I knew. I know I did wrong."
"This case is one in a million," Abboud said. "I feel for people
with schizophrenia but he was cold. He showed no remorse and
knew he was guilty. It disgusts me. I hope this will be a lesson;
we need a new law to take care of these people who are
unstable so this will never happen again."
Herbert Cheong was asked once if he had three wishes, what
would they be:
"That the girl was still alive; I had a place to stay; I hadn't pushed
her."
Herbert Cheong had taken his medication that day.
--
Mark Denman ~E Aho Laula~ <"wider is better">
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I have the body of a Greek God --- Bacchus!
inpetto
> It seems Cheong has wondered the same thing: "I was looking
> for a person to push in the subway. I told my doctor that I felt
> like killing somebody at times and he wouldn't lock me up, and
> he wouldn't certify me or put me in the hospital or change my
> medication, for some reason."
<snip>
> With few
> friends and no leisure activities, Cheong spent much of his time
> smoking crack.
<snip>
> His last hospital visit was two days before he pushed Charlene,
> when he was overheard saying to nurses: "When I walk down the
> street, I want to kill somebody."
<snip>
> Herbert Cheong had taken his medication that day.
This ranks high as one of the most preventable crimes I've seen posted
here. However, it's probably routine for the the doctors in those
facilities to hear the kind of talk Cheong spouted. It doesn't seem
possible that any human being could reasonably determine which of the
patients are likeliest to act on their fantasies. The crack consumption
should have served as an indicator that Cheong was a perpetrator waiting
to happen. If the staff took random urine samples for testing, they
would have been aware of his drug use. In that case, it's difficult to
believe they would have allowed him to continue treatment as an
outpatient. And outpatient on medication, yet. Was this a tragic slip
through the cracks or is Canada's social health program even worse than
I'd heard?
Inpetto
Cliff and Linda Griffith
> wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow,
unfortunate name
Sleepless
good observation!
Cliff and Linda Griffith <grif...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
36664A...@ix.netcom.com...
>> Those who knew Cheong paint a confusing portrait of him: "He
>> wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow,
>
>unfortunate name
Jonathan Horniblow
Cliff and Linda Griffith <grif...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > Those who knew Cheong paint a confusing portrait of him: "He
> > wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow,
>
You're telling ME!
--
Jonathan Horniblow - http://come.to/horniblow
"Quod in nomina coniunctionis agiter?" - ICQ - 14063504
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http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Mark Denman
changed radically in the 80's when it was determined by some
well-intentioned boneheads that outpatient treatment was more humane
than locking up the mentally ill, even if there was no support system at
home. This led to the huge increase in homelessness.
Locking up someone against their will is not an easy thing. It is more
difficult in Canada than in the US. In the US it is not that hard to
force a 72 hour mental assessment, but in Canada even that assessment
can't be made easily. Without criminal charges, the patient can just
leave.
Michael Newton
Times, a few months back, concerning a whole series (6 or 7 cases "in
the past year") of people being shoved under Toronto subway trains by
persons unknown.
mn
inpetto
>Canada's mental health system, like that in the United States, was
>changed radically in the 80's when it was determined by some
>well-intentioned boneheads that outpatient treatment was more humane
>than locking up the mentally ill, even if there was no support system at
>home. This led to the huge increase in homelessness.
The closest I remember Reagan coming to a humanitarian statement about
the homeless was that the government should regard it as a lifestyle
choice. Outpatient treatment is the lesser drain of public funds than
inpatient care. Bet false economy played a bigger role in Canada's
switch to more outpatient care than the humanitarians would like to
admit.
Inpetto
Cliff and Linda Griffith
>
> In article <36664A...@ix.netcom.com>,
> Cliff and Linda Griffith <grif...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow,
> >
>
> You're telling ME!
OOPS! Sorry! (I really wouldn't have said that to someone's *face*,
even on a newsgroup, had I known!)
But your response was classic!
Linda
Jonathan Horniblow
Cliff and Linda Griffith <grif...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> Jonathan Horniblow wrote:
> >
> > In article <36664A...@ix.netcom.com>,
> > Cliff and Linda Griffith <grif...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > > wasn't that easy to live with," said Dennis Horniblow,
> > >
> >
> > You're telling ME!
>
> OOPS! Sorry! (I really wouldn't have said that to someone's *face*,
> even on a newsgroup, had I known!)
>
> But your response was classic!
Like I haven't heard it *all* before!! BTW, just one question:
What's a blowjob?
Sweetkittie
Jonathan Horniblow wrote:
>
>
> Like I haven't heard it *all* before!! BTW, just one question:
> What's a blowjob?
>
> -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Well, it's what an intern does in the Oval Office.
--
Sweetkittie
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