From: vsans777@gmail.com   
      
   On Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 9:00:52 PM UTC-7, Ninth Commandment wrote:   
   > Man admits to murdering stockbroker   
   > Jose Raul Perez-Valdez faces life in prison for contract shooting of   
   > Hells Angels associate   
   >    
   > Jonathan Fowlie    
   > Vancouver Sun; with a report from the North Shore News    
   > Wednesday, April 20, 2005   
   >    
   > WEST VANCOUVER - The man who carried out the execution-style killing   
   > of a West Vancouver stockbroker almost 15 years ago has pleaded guilty   
   > to second-degree murder and now faces life in prison, likely with no   
   > chance of parole for 15 years.   
   > Cuban national Jose Raul Perez-Valdez admitted Friday he committed the   
   > contract killing of John Ramon (Ray) Ginnetti, a local stockbroker and   
   > known associate of the Hells Angels who was found dead in his West   
   > Vancouver home in May 1990 with a single bullet in his head.   
   > The hit was allegedly ordered by Ginnetti's one-time bodyguard and   
   > underworld enforcer Roger Daggitt, who is said to have received   
   > instructions about the murder from others who have yet to be caught.   
   > Daggitt, who is also believed to have had connections to the Hells   
   > Angels, died in October 1992 when he was shot three times in the back   
   > of the head while inside the Turf Hotel in Surrey.   
   > Perez-Valdez -- who was first charged with Ginnetti's murder in 1995   
   > while in custody in the U.S., but who was only brought to Canada in   
   > late 2003 -- will face sentencing in a B.C. court April 29. He will   
   > get a new identity as part of a plea-bargain deal.   
   > Second-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.   
   > As part of the plea deal, both the Crown and Perez-Valdez's lawyer   
   > have jointly recommended he not be eligible for parole for a minimum   
   > of 15 years.   
   > Officials in the case say Perez-Valdez's plea comes after almost a   
   > year of cooperation with police, during which he provided information   
   > about the people who allegedly hired him to carry out the killing.   
   > "We came to an arrangement of sorts where he would plead guilty to   
   > second-degree murder with a proviso he provides information and   
   > cooperation and testimony if further people are charged in connection   
   > with Ray Ginnetti's death," West Vancouver Police Staff-Sergeant Doug   
   > Bruce said Tuesday in an interview.   
   > Bruce would not give specific details about the information   
   > Perez-Valdez was able to provide, or who may have been involved in   
   > ordering the shooting, but did say Perez-Valdez has provided   
   > investigators with useful leads.   
   > "We have been actively investigating other suspects involved in   
   > Ginnetti's death -- people actually involved in the ordering of it and   
   > facilitating it, so that's where we stand at this point," Bruce said.   
   > Ginnetti once sold cars at a Kingsway car lot, where he earned a   
   > reputation as being flamboyant and quite aggressive.   
   > He later worked for more than 10 years as a stockbroker and stock   
   > promoter, including a stint at one of Vancouver's biggest brokerage   
   > houses, Canarim Investment Corp.   
   > Ginnetti once exchanged profanities with actor Sean Penn, who was in   
   > Vancouver filming a movie. The two had to be pulled apart by waiters,   
   > but later met and settled their differences with a handshake.   
   > Ginnetti was not a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, but   
   > reportedly liked to make it known he had friends and associates who   
   > were part of the organization. Several members of the Hells Angels   
   > were at his funeral.   
   > Members of Ginnetti's family could not be reached for comment Tuesday.   
   > Mayland McKimm, Perez-Valdez's lawyer, said Tuesday he did not think   
   > the Crown had a very strong case, and that he had recommended his   
   > client not enter a guilty plea.   
   > "It wasn't as if he was doomed," McKimm said. "The Crown's case was   
   > going to be very difficult."   
   > McKimm added there is currently a disagreement over whether the clock   
   > should start on Perez-Valdez's 15-year parole eligibility in 1995,   
   > when he was initially charged with murder, or at later points in the   
   > process, such as when he was brought to Canada from the U.S.   
   > McKimm said that will be sorted out at next week's sentencing hearing.   
   > He pointed out, however, that debate is largely academic, given that   
   > Perez-Valdez is wanted in Cuba, and will likely be sent there upon his   
   > release from prison in Canada.   
   > "He would be immediately taken into custody on an immigration warrant   
   > and deported to Cuba, where he would likely be sentenced to a life   
   > sentence for failing to serve in the military," McKimm said. "He's not   
   > going anywhere anyway."   
   > Asked why his client decided to cooperate and plead guilty, especially   
   > in light of a potential life sentence in Cuba after release, McKimm   
   > said he doesn't know.   
   > "My theory is maybe some people actually grow up and say they can't   
   > deal with it anymore," he said. "[They say], 'I'd rather do the right   
   > thing. I'm taking my lumps and others can take their lumps too.' "   
   > --------------------------------------------------------------   
   --------------------------------------------------------------   
   > Hopefully Valdez will spend life in prison here in Canada and die   
   > there. The guy who killed Daggitt at the Turf was a French-Canadian   
   > named Serge Robin. He also killed at least two other people. Daggitt   
   > was killed while drinking at the Turf with his son. His son had his   
   > Dad's brains splattered all over him and he didn't do squat. At the   
   > time Hell's Angels used to walk at will in and out of the employees   
   > only areas of the Turf Hotel. Robin did his last hit at the Old   
   > Dominion Hotel in Gastown. A Joe Citizen saw him come out of the bar   
   > with his gun and pretending to be drunk bumped into him. He then   
   > proceeded to wrestle Robin to the ground and held him for the police.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)