Defendant In Massacre May Testify Against Others -- Five Men Charged In Tacoma Karaoke-Bar Slayings In '98

TACOMA - One of five young men charged with killing five people at a karaoke bar last year is ready to testify against the other four, Pierce County Prosecutor John Ladenburg says.

The trial of Veasna Sok, 18, has been tentatively postponed until after the one scheduled Sept. 8 for Jimmie Chea, 19; Sarun Truck Ngeth, 20; Marvin Lofi Leo, 18, and John Phet, 17.

Each of the five is charged with five counts of aggravated first-degree murder and five counts of first-degree assault in the massacre July 5, 1998, at the Trang Dai, a karaoke bar and restaurant with a predominantly Vietnamese clientele in the city's Lincoln District.

Police think gang rivalry led to the shooting deaths of waitress Tuyen Ngoc Vo, 21; Duy Quang Le, 24, and his brother, Hai Quang Le, 28; Tuong Hung Dang Do, 33; and Nahn Ai Nguyen, 26, when a band of men sprayed the room with gunfire. The presumed target, Son Hoang Kim, was nicked in the finger by a bullet as he ducked for cover.

The suspected ringleader, Ri Le, 22, shot himself and his brother, Khanh Trinh, 17, to death as police prepared to arrest them later that month. A third figure in the case, Samath Mom 18, hanged himself in jail.

Sok and Chea are described in court documents as the drivers of two getaway cars; Leo, Le and Mom as the trio who opened fire inside the restaurant; and Phet and Trinh as the pair stationed at a rear door where the waitress was slain.

All five now in custody face life in prison without parole if

convicted because prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.

Lawyers close to the case who spoke on condition of anonymity said they think prosecutors will try to make deals with all defendants and avoid a lengthy trial.

Ladenburg said Sok's lawyer has been negotiating with prosecutors.

"There's a general understanding," Laderburg said, that Sok will testify against the others, but the deal will be set only after prosecutors confirm that what he plans to say on the stand is true.

He would not discuss the terms, but other lawyers familiar with the case said Sok is ready to plead guilty after the trial to one count of first-degree murder with a weapons enhancement and that prosecutors will ask for a sentence of at least 25 years.

There are "some possibilities of further discussions" on deals with other defendants, but prosecutors have made no other offers, Ladenburg said.