Ex-UN gangster says he regrets testifying at Vallee gang murder trial

An ex-United Nations gangster paid $300,000 to testify against his former brothers said Thursday that if he could go back in time, he would never have co-operated with police.

The man, who can only be identified as D due to a sweeping publication ban, rejected a suggestion from a lawyer for accused killer Cory Vallee that he was only testifying for the cash.

“Sir if I suggested to you that money is all you really care about and it’s the primary reason you are here today, would you agree or disagree?” Eric Gottardi asked in B.C. Supreme Court.

“I disagree. Money is not the primary reason I am here today,” D said.

“And I will say sir that I would happily, if possible, pay back multiple times the money I was paid if I could go back in time and change my mind and not do this. Because I wholeheartedly 100 per cent regret it and would not recommend it to anybody.”

D has spent nine days so far testifying before Justice Janice Dillon at the trial of Vallee, who is charged with conspiracy to kill the Bacon brothers over several months in 2008 and 2009. Vallee is also charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Bacon associate Kevin LeClair in February 2009.

D told Gottardi that testifying has been “a very, very difficult, very stressful process” that has brought him “a considerable amount of pain.”

“It’s not fun,” he said as Vallee listened attentively from the prisoner’s box.

Gottardi read several emails and briefing notes from 2010 and 2011 highlighting D’s negotiations with police for compensation.

“As part of the negotiations, you wanted the police to cover drug debts that were owed to you,” Gottardi said.

D’s police handler was warning him in some of the emails not to ask for too much money or he might end up with nothing.

D agreed that he was asking for more than police were offering at the time.

“I recall having a conversation with him at this point. I had huge concerns about what they were asking me to do,” he said.

The RCMP eventually provided D with Vancouver lawyer Len Doust, who helped to negotiate the $300,000 deal, D testified.

He also said that his agreement was only to testify at the trial of the original UN gang members and associates charged with conspiracy to kill the Bacons. All have since pleaded guilty.

Testifying years later against Vallee was not part of the original agreement with police and he did ask for additional compensation, D said.

“I saw this was over and above the original agreement for the UN 8, that it was having a detrimental effect on my current life. At any point, they could ask me to come over here and be a witness. And as you can see from my immunity deal, I can’t refuse to do that,” D said.

Gottardi also suggested that D turned against the UN because he felt passed over for a leadership position after gang founder Clay Roueche was arrested in the U.S. in May 2008.

“I am going to suggest that another thing that motivated you to come forward in 2009 is that you were upset at your fellow gang members for shutting you out of a leadership position,” Gottardi said. D said he “absolutely” disagreed. D is expected to complete his cross-examination Monday.

The trial continues.