Presumed Guilty. Cases. Timeline. Choi

Discussions

Know Your Rights

Feedback

8/2000 - ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS DEAL #2:
"Adachi explains to Choi that accepting a plea bargain forfeits his right to a trial, and that it's an irrevocable decision."

11/27/2000 - ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS DEAL #3:
"Adachi says that once all the preparation has been done to try a case, it's disappointing to accept a plea bargain, but the wishes of the client come first."

12/2000 THE VERDICT AND THE SENTENCE:
"Lam Choi pleads guilty and is sentenced to 17 years and 4 months. He reflects on his decision to plead guilty."

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






	11/1998 - DISTRICT ATTORNEY RECUSED FROM CASE After an entire jury is chosen, San Francisco DA Terence Hallinan tells the press that he believes the Tran and Natali murders are linked. Judge William Cahill had carefully informed the jury that these two high-profile killings were in no way connected. A mistrial is declared. Jeff Adachi files a motion to have Hallinan and his entire office recused from (thrown off) the case. The motion is based on Hallinan's known friendship with the deceased Dennis Natali and his inability to accept the lack of evidence linking the two killings, which would undermine Lam Choi's chance for a fair trial. Judge Cahill orders the entire San Francisco district attorney's office removed from the case. This is a victory for Adachi, as a new prosecutor will have little time to become familiar with this very complicated case before the trial starts again.

	1/1999 - 8/2000 - CHOI CASE TURNED OVER TO STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL For the next year and a half, the California State Attorney General's office appeals Judge Cahill's decision to recuse the entire DA's office. They lose the appeal, and finally Michael O'Reilly, an Assistant Attorney General, is given the case to prosecute. During four months of pretrial motions, Jeff Adachi and the defense team battle against the state attorney general over what evidence the jury will be allowed to hear. During this whole time, Choi sits in his cell awaiting trial.

	8/2000 - ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS DEAL NUMBER TWO In order to avoid a lengthy and costly trial, the prosecutor offers a new deal: 18 years in prison if Choi will plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Choi rejects the offer. He would rather go to trial.

	11/27/2000 - ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERS DEAL NUMBER THREE Pretrial motions drag on, and the judge asks both sides to try to come up with another deal. The prosecution is still offering 18 years. Adachi and Choi decide they will consider settling for 16 years. Adachi worries that Choi's co-defendants may be persuaded to testify against him in exchange for lighter sentences. After much soul searching, Choi decides to take the prosecutor's final offer: 17 years and five months.

	12/2000 - JUDGE HANDS DOWN VERDICT AND SENTENCE IN TRAN CASE Lam Choi pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is sentenced to 17 years and four months. With credit for time served (four years) and with good behavior in prison, he will end up serving a minimum of nine years. Choiís plea bargain paves the way for his co- defendants to also seek plea bargain arrangements and win release from jail with credit for time served. Man Yu, who is believed by the prosecution to have ordered Tran's killing, will serve two more years in prison for a drug charge. A few weeks later, Choi is sent to prison to begin his sentence.

	2002 - AFTERMATH: LAM CHOI SERVES TIME In June of 2001, Lam Choi was admitted to the Salinas Valley Prison, a correctional facility that houses primarily level-four maximum security inmates. A tendency for high incidence of violence at the facility means that the inmates are under a heightened state of security, with their movements closely monitored, and historically, in some instances, have been placed under "lockdown." Choi has been unable to pursue his GED studies, as he had hoped. To contact Lam Choi about the film or his case, write: Lam Choi Salinas Valley Prison P.O. Box 1050, C5-228 Soledad, CA 93960

	Go Back