Pubdate: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Ethan Baron Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Downtown+Eastside DRUG DEBT LEADS TO MAN'S DEATH; HOMELESS MAN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER A drug debt led to Sunday's fatal stabbing of a 42-year-old Vancouver man in the Downtown Eastside, police say. A 41-year-old Vancouver man was arrested four blocks away at Main and Hastings streets. He faces a second-degree murder charge. "This is certainly nothing that's surprising, the level of violence associated with drugs," said Vancouver police Const. Howard Chow. "You have a lot of very desperate people, very desperate addicts that are out there, and very often they do what they can to get their next fix." Meanwhile, a 21-year-old homeless man was arrested and charged with manslaughter after he allegedly stabbed another homeless man to death last Thursday. Two men had an altercation in the 900-block Evans Avenue near Terminal Avenue, police said. Clifford Lewis Johnson, 41, was stabbed and underwent surgery at Vancouver General Hospital, but died Friday evening. Johnathon Michael Plante, 21, was arrested Saturday in the 700-block Thurlow Street. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake