Pubdate: Thu, 26 Feb 2004
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmond-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

GUILTY PLEA FOR GROW-OP DEATH

A Surrey man charged in the beating death of a Richmond pot grower will be 
sentenced April 13 in the Port Coquitlam provincial courthouse.

Milad Saffari pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 41-year-old Vi 
Soi Hoang.

The charge carries no mandatory minimum sentence under the criminal code, 
but has a maximum of life in prison

A second man, 17 at the time of the killing, is still moving through the 
court system.

The youth, now 19, is charged with second-degree murder in the case. He is 
scheduled to appear next before the courts to fix a date for trial March 3.

Hoang died Sept. 9, 2002, one day after he was beaten up on the street 
outside a house at 8391 No. 4 Road. A search at the house by Richmond RCMP 
following the beating turned up some 750 pot plants.

Eighteen-year-old Parminder Perry Soor of Vancouver has already been 
sentenced to a six-month jail term on charges of break, enter and robbery 
and possession of a loaded handgun in connection with the case.

As well, another youth, age 16 at the time, admitted guilt to a charge of 
break and enter.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom