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1997/1998 - JEFF ADACHI DEVELOPS DEFENSE STRATEGY:
"Adachi rehearses opening statement saying that any theory of murder in Lam Choi's case is completely without merit."

This story is culled from the defendant's own words, information given to the public defender, and the court records of the case.






	12/8/1996 - PUBLIC DEFENDER JEFF ADACHI ASSIGNED TO CASE The number of eyewitnesses, the damaging statements by Waxler and Huynh, and all the press attention make this a very difficult case for the defense. It is assigned to Jeff Adachi, who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, has a reputation as perhaps the most hard-nosed and aggressive trial lawyer in the Office of the Public Defender. Adachi meets Choi to talk about his case and begin to build a relationship of trust. Adachi's first legal move is to try to block the district attorney's attempt to have Choi tried as an adult.

	6/1997 - LAM CHOI'S STATUS DETERMINED IN HEARING In a preliminary hearing, Adachi presents Choi's background as well as the facts of the case to the judge, who applies a five-factor test to determine whether Choi should be treated as an adult or a juvenile. The decision can mean the difference between a possible sentence of 35 years to life - if tried as an adult - or incarceration until the age 25 in a California Youth Authority correctional facility. The issue involves a judgment call as to whether the minor is susceptible to rehabilitation through the juvenile system. After a four-day hearing, the judge decides that Choi will be tried as an adult. The district attorney of San Francisco, Terence Hallinan, charges Lam Choi with first-degree murder as an adult.

	7/31/1997 - LAM CHOI AND THREE CO-DEFENDANTS INDICTED BY GRAND JURY Indictments for murder, conspiracy, extortion and arson are handed down by a San Francisco grand jury against the four men accused of taking part in the killing of Vietnamese gang boss Cuong Tran. The defendants are Lam Choi, 18, the alleged shooter; Kwong Tse, 26, said to be at the scene; Man Leung Yu, 46, charged with ordering the killing; and Reagan Huang, who allegedly drove the getaway car. All the defendants plead not guilty.

	1997/1998 - PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE INVESTIGATES TRAN'S BACKGROUND The goal of Public Defender Investigator Nigel Phillips is to dig up as much information as possible on Cuong Tran's violent activities, in order to bolster Lam Choi's defense. Phillips cruises the Tenderloin, speaks to numerous workers and patrons at massage parlors and illicit gambling dens, and gathers witnesses who can testify to Tran's brutal behavior as a gang boss, or "Dai Lo." The investigation reveals that Tran, who had recently been released from prison, wanted to reclaim his extortion business and felt that Choi had muscled in on his turf. So he threatened to kill Choi.

	1997/1998 - JEFF ADACHI DEVELOPS DEFENSE STRATEGY Jeff Adachi decides on a "self-defense" defense stategy for Choi. Adachi will try to convince the jury that Choi believed his life was in danger, so he killed Tran in a pre-emptive move to protect himself. Tran represented Choi's greatest fear: being pursued by a gang boss who had 50 to 100 people at his disposal at any given time, a terrifying prospect. Self-defense requires that a person be in fear for his or her life, that the fear is reasonable, and that the amount of force is reasonable. However, self-defense is not available to the one who starts the fight. Adachi has to contend with the fact that the prosecution has dozens of eyewitnesses to the murder as well as a star witness, informant Jason Waxler, who was at the scene and claims Choi was the aggressor.

	11/1998 - DA OFFERS LAM CHOI DEAL NUMBER ONE The credibility of the DA's star witness, Jason Waxler, is increasingly strained as his criminal past comes to light. Some of the information he gave police turns out to be false. The DA offers Choi a deal: if he pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter, the DA will drop the other charges and offer a sentence of 21 years in prison. Choi refuses the offer, and the trial is set.

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