Gang trial witness says he’s not lying now
Man was paid $300,000 by police to testify in murder trial of Cory Vallee
A former United Nations gangster admitted in B.C. Supreme Court Tuesday that he lied to police for years when he was immersed in the criminal underworld.
The man, who can only be identified as D due to a publication ban, was grilled for a second day by Eric Gottardi, the lawyer for accused killer Cory “Frankie” Vallee.
D said he was testifying truthfully at the trial of Vallee, who is charged with conspiracy to kill the Bacon brothers in 2008 and 2009, as well as the murder of Bacon associate Kevin LeClair in February 2009.
But Gottardi pointed to instances in statements D had given to police even after he became a confidential informant in April 2009 where he had lied.
D explained to Justice Janice Dillon that he was very apprehensive when he first started working with police.
He said he feared that anything he told them about his criminal ties to the UN gang might be used against him even though the officers claimed that wouldn’t happen.
“I had contacted them with the intent to provide information, but I was very apprehensive,” he testified.
His skepticism about police continued for months even after he was assisting them, he said.
“I would say I had that impression for a long time because I came from a lifestyle … where you don’t trust the police. That’s just standard being a criminal,” D testified.
But he denied lying in his evidence over the last week at the Vancouver Law Courts where he testified that Vallee made cryptic references to being involved in LeClair’s murder.
D also testified that Vallee was brought to the UN gang as an outside hit man to go after the Bacon brothers and their associates.
Among those on the hit list was LeClair, who the UN called “Traitor” because he had left their gang to hook up with the Bacons.
Gottardi said D enjoyed manipulating police and saw his interaction with them as “a game.”
He showed D a September 2009 statement in which D falsely claimed that he was not a member of the UN.
“I take it you will agree with me that you have lied to the police many, many times?” Gottardi asked.
Replied D: “Yes, I have over the course of my life lied to the police many, many times.”
D eventually agreed to become a witness in the case against Vallee and was paid $300,000 by police.
Gottardi suggested that D’s detailed description of a ceremony where Vallee was presented with his UN gang rings was made up.
“If I suggested you never attended a ring ceremony for Frankie, would you agree or disagree?” Gottardi asked.
D said he would “strongly disagree” with Gottardi as he detailed what happened at the ceremony in a backroom at the Kirin restaurant on Cambie Street sometime in the spring of 2009.
“I remember Versace standing up on a chair as he customarily has done previously at other events and calling out his name. I remember him referring to him as Frankie and him coming over and being presented the ring.”
He testified that Vallee did not say anything because “it is not customary in these events for the person getting the ring to give a kind of speech or anything.”
“People will generally go up and congratulate them and shake hands and give them hugs or what not,” he said.
D’s cross-examination is expected to last all week.
The trial continues.