Oliver Abergel, left, the defence lawyer for Keith Ru, 25, who is charged with second degree murder in the Thursday slaying of roommate, Jai Le Zhao, speaks to the media outside the Ottawa Courthouse Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. Darren Brown/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

OTTAWA — There are "clearly" concerns about the mental health of a 25-year-old student accused of killing a man believed to be his roommate, his lawyer said Friday.

Keith Ru, 25, smiled, contorted his face and greeted the justice of the peace with "hi" during a brief court appearance on a charge of second-degree murder in the killing of Jai Le Zhao, who was found dead in a pool of blood in his apartment early Thursday.

"My client is a student at a local university and I don't believe he has any previous involvement with the criminal justice system," defence lawyer Oliver Abergel said. "His parents, obviously quite a shock to them, have come, came in from Toronto to see if they can speak to their son.