Two Men Charged in 2001 Killing of Karaoke Club Guard

From the NY Times by Simon Akam:

Federal prosecutors announced murder indictments Wednesday against two men in the 2001 killing of a security guard at a karaoke club in Queens.

One of the men, Yudi Liu, 26, of Brooklyn, was arrested Monday. The other, Guang Ju Lin, 32, of Los Angeles, is being held by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities in California.

According to documents filed in United States District Court in Manhattan, Mr. Liu and Mr. Lin were responsible for killing the guard, Danny Cabezas, in Flushing, Queens, on Dec. 11, 2001.

Prosecutors say [pdf] the men were members and associates of the Ah Jun, an organized crime enterprise with bases in Chinatown, Manhattan, and in Brooklyn and Flushing.

The documents state that the Ah Jun engaged in murder, extortion, illegal gambling and narcotics trafficking, among other crimes.

Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman, said the murder took place at the end of an evening at the Moneybox, on Main Street in Flushing.

A group from the Ah Jun organization went to the club, where Mr. Cabezas was working.

“The lieutenant from the organized crime group, he decides he’s going to step up, confront the bouncer,” Mr. Brown said.

Mr. Cabezas had the better of the initial struggle, but the Ah Jun members took their revenge later. “On the way out that night, Liu stabs him to death at Lin’s direction,” Mr. Browne said.

The police spokesman added that a police operation that had investigated extortion of van drivers turned up the information that led to the indictments.

Mr. Lin and Mr. Liu were each charged with one count of violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity.

Julia L. Gatto, Mr. Liu’s lawyer, did not return calls for comment.

Federal prosecutors said Mr. Lin would be assigned a defense lawyer when he is moved to New York.