GUILTY PLEA FOR GROW-OP DEATH

A Surrey man charged in the beating death of a Richmond pot grower will be
sentenced April 13 in the Port Coquitlam provincial courthouse.

Milad Saffari pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 41-year-old Vi
Soi Hoang.

The charge carries no mandatory minimum sentence under the criminal code,
but has a maximum of life in prison

A second man, 17 at the time of the killing, is still moving through the
court system.

The youth, now 19, is charged with second-degree murder in the case. He is
scheduled to appear next before the courts to fix a date for trial March 3.

Hoang died Sept. 9, 2002, one day after he was beaten up on the street
outside a house at 8391 No. 4 Road. A search at the house by Richmond RCMP
following the beating turned up some 750 pot plants.

Eighteen-year-old Parminder Perry Soor of Vancouver has already been
sentenced to a six-month jail term on charges of break, enter and robbery
and possession of a loaded handgun in connection with the case.

As well, another youth, age 16 at the time, admitted guilt to a charge of
break and enter.