Teens ordered to execute gangster: informant

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This article was published 21/09/2010 (5674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A former Winnipeg gang member who became a justice informant says two teens were under strict orders to kill a rival drug dealer — then talked openly about completing their “mission” following the broad daylight slaying.

The man, whose name isn’t being published by the Free Press to protect his identity, testified Monday as the key witness in a first-degree murder case against two former fellow gangsters.

“We were just exchanging war stories. They said the guy (victim) was cutting in on crack sales in the neighbourhood. (One of the accused) said they had done a mission on Magnus, that they had killed somebody,” the man told jurors.

Thomas Roy Phillips, 38, was shot twice in the head and once in the chest from point-blank range as he sat in the driver’s seat of his Jeep Grand Cherokee on March 26, 2007. His two alleged killers, who were 15 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to the most serious charge in the Criminal Code. They have been identified in court as members of the Indian Posse street gang.

The Crown alleges the slaying was a premeditated act. The witness told court Monday that Phillips was associated to the Manitoba Warriors gang and that a senior member of the Indian Posse ordered his killing.

“(The two accused) were just basically waiting for him to show up,” he said. The man said there would have been serious consequences if the teens decided not to follow instructions.

“The worst-case scenario is you get killed,” he said.

The man entered into an immunity agreement with Manitoba Justice that included having several drug and weapons charges dropped last year in exchange for his testimony. The man and his family, which includes four children, were also placed in witness protection and are being given $740 from the province every two weeks to pay for groceries and bills. The province is also paying $1,100 per month in rent for a three-bedroom home at their undisclosed new location, jurors were told. The financial agreement is set to expire after one year.

The man says he joined the Indian Posse in 2002 but decided he wanted out of the gang after his brother was murdered in late 2007. He said the slaying remains unsolved but he believes other members of his own gang were responsible, although he said they are not in any way connected to the two men he is now testifying against.

“Everyone figured I was going to roll over on them,” he said, adding he began to fear for his own safety. The man said his brother’s murder eventually prompted him to co-operate with police, not only in that case but others such as the Phillips slaying.

His credibility came under immediate attack from defence lawyer Greg Brodsky, who accused of him of creating a bogus story based on his obvious bitter feelings toward the Indian Posse. The man admits to having a shady past, which includes being involved in at least three drive-by shootings for which he was never charged. He claims those were also under gang orders.

Several witnesses have previously testified about seeing two teens fleeing the scene of the slaying. One of those was a nine-year-old girl, who was playing with her younger sister on the Magnus Avenue lawn near where Phillips was shot. Another witness picked both accused out of a police photo lineup.

Defence lawyers will continue their cross-examination of the key witness on Tuesday. Closing arguments may begin later this week.

www.mikeoncrime.com