Lawyers expect complex case in gang slayings
Lawyers for two men charged last week in gang-related slayings of six people expect a complex case for their clients.
Alain Hepner, who represents Nathan Lawrence Zuccherato, said Tuesday the charges were adjourned to Aug. 30 so he and Richard Cairns, who represents Nicholas Cypui Chan, can receive disclosure from Crown prosecutor Janice Rea of the anticipated evidence.
“We expect a lot of disclosure and we want to see it to get a feel of what that case is about,” said Hepner.
Police charged Zuccherato, 26, Nicholas Chan, 35, his brother, Timothy Chan, 32, and Dustin Duke Darby, 30, FOB gang veterans, with firstdegree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the slaying of Kevin Anaya.
Anaya, 21, who was not a gang member but had friends in both FOB and rival FOB Killers (FK), was gunned down outside a home on Marcombe Drive N.E. on Aug. 8, 2008.
All of the men charged in the lengthy investigation are in custody — except for Timothy Chan, who remains at large.
Zuccherato and Michael Roberto were previously convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in connection to the killing of gang member Sanjeev Mann, drug dealer Aaron Bendle and bystander Keni Su’a at Bolsa restaurant on Jan. 1, 2009. But the Alberta Court of Appeal set aside the convictions last month and ordered a new trial. They will be back in Court of Queen’s Bench on Aug. 16.
Darby is serving a 7 1/2-year prison sentence for cocaine trafficking.
The second case involved the shooting of Kevin Ses and Tina Kong, two friends killed while eating at the Food In East Restaurant on Marlborough Drive N.E. on Oct. 26, 2008.
Ses, 21, was associated with an FK gang member but Kong, 21, had no connections to criminal activity. The shots seriously wounded two friends with them.
Zuccherato and Van Thoai Luc, 25, have each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
The third part of the investigation involved charging Nicholas Chan and Darby with first-degree murder in connection with the Bolsa massacre.
Nicholas Chan has been charged with instructing a criminal organization in the Anaya homicide; Darby has been charged with participation in a criminal organization in connection with the Bolsa killings.