Pubdate: Sat, 20 Dec 2003
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/TorontoSun/home.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Jason Botchford
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

THE CASE OF THE DRUG-DEALING LAWYER

Lawyer Raymond Li bowed his head, fought back tears and hugged his
supporters after he was found guilty yesterday of selling $30,000 of
heroin to an inmate at the Don Jail. Superior Court Justice Frank
Caputo found Li guilty of three drug trafficking charges for passing
heroin, hash and pot to An Nguyen on Nov. 21,

"I'm shocked," Li said. "I'm not guilty ... I don't know what word to
put to (the verdict). It is certainly disappointing."

Li, 37, had pleaded not guilty. In his verdict, Caputo said he found
Li's story to be "illogical" and "highly improbable."

Court heard that jail guards became suspicious of Li after one saw him
with his hands underneath a table in an interview room when Li was
alone with Nguyen. The guard then noticed both men touching hands
beneath the table.

A guard searched Nguyen after the meeting and found a pack of tobacco,
used for rolling cigarettes, wrapped around his leg.

REPRESENTED HIMSELF

Inside the pack, guards discovered hashish, marijuana and 29 grams of
heroin.

On the street, heroin is worth about $400 a gram but at the Don Jail
29 grams is worth about $30,000, the court heard.

Li, who has been a lawyer for 10 years and represented himself, told
court that Nguyen had the drugs on him already when he entered the
interview room.

But Caputo said he accepted testimony that Nguyen was searched and
deemed free of contraband before he met his lawyer

Li brought the drugs into the room in a legal-sized envelope which was
later found empty and stuffed in his back pocket.

Nguyen has already received a 28-month sentence, in addition to seven
months of pre-trial custody.

Li said he will immediately notify the Law Society of Upper Canada of
the verdict. He said he is shutting down his law practice and will
appeal the decision.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 5.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin