| OCR Text |
Show B3 ___The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH Friday, November 18,1994 Suspect In Shooting Walking Free Federal Grant to Pay for More Cops Funds Also Will Go Toward Help For Troubled Teens, Their Families @ Continued from B-1 By Vince Horiuchi THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE on a bus for Salt Lake City, where Det. Chuck Oliver was waiting for them at the busstation. Nguyen described how the 30year-old Harris, a well-muscled gay man, made a sexualpass during a ride in Harris’ car on Aug. 22, 1993. Nguyen told detectives he shotthe victim oncein the neck and Ly fired a second bullet in Harris’ head. Ly invoked his right to remain silent. Prosecutors initially filed an auto theft charge against him, but later dismissed the count to preserve theirability to file homi- cide charges if police uncover moreevidence. Witnesses can place Ly with Nguyen beforeand after thekill- ing — but only Nguyen’s confession puts the gun in Ly’s hand. And a co-defendant’s statementis not enoughto convict without corroborating evidence. “We can't run on both of them,” said Deputy County Attorney Paul Parker. Prosecutors said they won't offer Nguyen a plea dealto testify against Ly because Nguyen intended to kill. Salt Lake City will have more cops, probationofficers andspecialists to help troubled teen-agers and their families, thanks to a $2.2 million federalgrant. Cityofficials applied for the Comprehensive Communities Program grant several months ago after developinga plan to fight juvenile crime. Tuesday, officials learned they were awarded the grant by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The mon- ey, to be appropriated over 15 to 18 months, could start coming in December. That means morepolice officers on the streets, youth and family specialists and probation officers but officials did not release the number of people who would be hired. A truancy program and other projects also will be expanded. “Wewill involve the family and every resource we have in the city,” said Mayor Deedee Corradini. “This allows us to take this citywide.” Some $1.26 million will go to the Police Department, $220,000 to the City Attorney’s Office, $250,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, $345,000 for 3rd District Juvenile Court and $145,000 for Salt Lake City SchoolDistrict. Salt LakeCity’s plan involves developing community-action teamsfor each of its seven City Council districts. Each team will include: @ One police sergeant and twoto three police offi- cers to expand the Community Oriented Policing program. @A community supportdivision officer who will assist residents in crime prevention. Evenif the first shot wasn’t fatal, Nguyen admitted handing the gun to his friend, knowing Ly would fire another round at the woundedHarris, Parkersaid. Nguyen’s attorneys are challenging the capital murder and aggravated robbery charges against their client. The state contends Nguyen killed while committing an armed robbery, an aggravating circumstance that makes the crime punishable by death. But at the end of Nguyen’s preliminary hearing in 8rd Circuit Court on Wed fs defender Paul Gotay complained House Being Turned Into a ‘Castle’ @ Continued from B-1 A specialist to train block leaders and help solve crimes. WA youth/family specialist to develop plans for troubled juveniles and their families. @ Oneto two deputy probationofficers. Anofficial from the Office of Community Affairs and a city prosecutor. @ Representatives from community councils, the Evicted frustrated trying to find a new placetolive. Residents Try started to realize there was no To Find Homes @ Continued from B-1 in moving expenses. If they wait until June, then they get $750. Af- city’s Mobile Neighborhood Watch program andthe Youth City Council. Manyofthose individuals have been working together, said communityactivist Colleen Minson. The moneywill be used to create and expand the teams and help coordination. “It allows the community to identify what the ter that, nothing. problemsare,” she said. “You work with the family for communityor business development. “People look at us down here andthe youthto reestablish the bonds and communication.” The Boys & Girls Clubs will fund seven youth/fa- mily specialists, education instruction, and recreation and skills development at twoofits facilities. The organization also hopes to build a new recrea- tion center. City officials have not yet decided whatthey'll do whenthe moneyis spent in about 142 years. Federalofficials “have been a little vague with us onwhetherit will continue,” said Kay Christensen, the mayor’s chief of staff. “People can go in and train the community, and the community can take overat that time. The police officers’ [wages] will haveto be pickedup bythecity after that.” Earlier this summer, the city received two other federal grants: $50,000 for planning and development from the Justice Department’s National Performance Review Laboratory and $50,000 from the Department of Health and Human Services Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. volunteer laborers and donated materials. A city employee wired the house in his off hours. A neighborroofed thebuilding. Normally, the city uses grants to provide homeownerswith lowinterest loans for remodeling projects. But Jonesis living on Social Security checks each month. In this case, an exception was warranted, Benson said. “We wantto provide decent, safe housing for all residents. That includes the elderly and disabled.” In the meantime, the painting andsiding are unfinished and the windows still have to be cased. And Jones still talks about the stove. ‘I just wantto get back into my house.” But Breault and several of her neighborssaythey can’t help but wonderif this would be happening to a neighborhoodwitha little more income and a little more pull. She knows trailer parks don’tfit into anyone’s grand plans andtheysay, ‘they live over the railroad tracks, they’re scum,’ ” she said. “But we’re not. There are a lot of good people down here.” No oneis denying that, Phillips General Manager Jim Branch said. The company simply doesn’t want to wait too long to revamp. Five months seems like an accept- able period to relocate, he said. “Legally, we're not obligated to do anything,” Branch said. ‘“Legally, we don’t owe them tinker’s dime, but we’re sayingthat’s not right.’ But residents feel the refinery is asking them to do the impossi- ble. The only thing mobile about the homeshas been the namefor the past 30 years. Most of the trailers have fences and yards, with permanentsheds and porches added over time. Somearethe obvious product of meticulous care and concern. Pam Kelley, a 25-year-old resident with three children, said some families have it tougher than hers, but she has to uproot her 4-year-old daughter from a Head Start school program she loves. Kelley said she understands Phillips’ situation but is “It just got worse when we place to go,” she said Kelley hopes her husband Don, a 22-year-old Gulf War veteran, will be able to get a government loan so they can buy a home. Ray Cheney, a 44-year-old Corrections officer, said he doesn’t know whyPhillips can’t wait. “But wereallydon’t have a say so,” he said. ‘We really don’t own the land.” Several residents said they are suspicious of Phillips’ motives and wonderif the company plans to use the land for a commercial or residential development “The intent when we purchased the propertyis to takeit and use it as a greenbelt,’ Branch “We'll probably make some ad- justments,” Branch said. “We really hadn’t considered the fact that we would uproot families in the middle of the school term. We're trying to understand the concerns that they’re raising and we'll come back with what we hopewill be a good compromise package.” He said WoodsCross and West Bountiful officials were aware of the plan and had noobjections. Woods Crossofficials did not return telephone calls Wednesday and Thursday. But prosecutorsfailed to show his cli- victim and downplay Nguyen’s rolein the killing. “The only shot my clientis alleged to have fired was not the shot that killed the person,” Gotay said. Nguyen actedin self-defense or in “‘a diminished capacity” because he was frightened at Harris’ attempts to fondle him, the attorney added. Victim Intoxicated: The victim was drunk and a paroled felon, according to testimony. While cross-examining Oliver Wednesday, Gotay blasted the de- tective’s failure to probethepossibility that Harris sexually assaulted Nguyen. Nguyen, then 16, told police Harris merely touched him and then stopped after Nguyen asked to beleft alone, Oliver responded. After this sexual encounter, Harris picked up Ly and drove both teens toward Nguyen’s house. On the way, the teensdiscussed Harris’ sexual advance in Vietnamese and Ly said they should shootHarris, Olivertestified. Unawareof the danger, Harris dropped the boys on Jeremy Street, an alley at 840 West near the Nguyen home. Nguyentold police he walked to his home,retrieved his .22-caliber handgun and returned to the alley where Harris was chatting with Ly. Nguyensaid he fired a round into Harris’ throat. The victim dropped his car keys and fell. Nguyen picked up the keys and the teens fled in Harris’ car, Olivertestified. Backto the Scene:After a few minutes, they returnedtosee if Harris was dead, the detective continued, but they found him alive. Ly shot the wounded man again, Nguyentold police. Thefirst bullet pierced the victim’s throat below the Adam's apple andlodgedin his spinalcanal, probably paralyzing his legs, testified Assistant Medical Examiner Edward Leis. He speculated Harris crawled along thealley, trailing blood, when thefatal bullet crashed through his forehead and ricocheted off the back of his skull. This week’s preliminary hearing was the second for Nguyen. He was boundoverfortrial as an adult in October 1993 but a motion in another juvenile ¢ Top names © Huge selection ¢ Fast service ¢ Friendly, knowledgeable staff * Clothing and accessories ¢ Competitive prices plus money-back dividends on top of that for REI members! case prompted prosecutors to scrap those proceedings andstart over. A juvenile court judgecertified Nguyen last month for prosecution as an adult. Gotay said his client is a peaceful child who should be tried in the juvenile system where penalities are not as harsh. A “WE KNOW SNOW! ...and you thought REI only carried camping gear REI is your one-stop shop for snowboarding. Whether you’re carving the slopes or bagging bigair, when you go for the snow,we've got what you need. Quality Outdoor Gear and Clothing Since 1938 3285East 3300 South, Salt LakeCity * 486-2100 West Bountiful Mayor Carl Johnson said the city sees the sale of the land as a private matter. “T have concern for people anytime they have to find a new home, but I've found a new home two or three times in mylife,” Johnsonsaid. “It’s a traumatic experiencebutit’s partof living.” ent intendedto rob Harris. Judge Robin Reese reserved ruling on Gotay’s motion until Dec. 12. If Nguyen is convicted of the lesser crime offirst-degree homicide, he faces from five years to life in prison. Defenders also hope to blame the said. “Thatis still our intent, but that’s still not to say that if we came up with some sort of a business venture we woulddothat.” Branch said Phillips has asked residents to send their concernsin writing, along with their leases, by Wednesday. The companywill then meet with the tenants after the Thanksgiving holiday, he said |
