* the parent(s)* the community
* the social in-activists
* inept criminal justice system
Christie Blatchford: Kenneth Mark’s death organized by pack of young killers, police allege
It is alleged at the trial of Lamar (Ammo) Skeete that he was the mastermind of a crew whose members, in the infamous words of the singer Snoop Dogg, travelled in packs and did it from the back.
The lyrics from the old Snoop song were about sex, as most of his songs are; well, sex and mayhem.
But in this case, the references could apply equally well to homicide, at least as the prosecutors have it.
The 21-year-old Mr. Skeete is pleading not guilty to first-degree murder in the Dec. 29, 2009 execution-style slaying of a big gentle man named Kenneth Mark.
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Mr. Mark was gunned down with a single shot to the back of his head as he walked to work that cold December night. He had headphones on and was carrying two bags of takeout, for his supper at a local Walmart where he was the night supervisor, when he was shot.
The motive for the slaying is alleged to have been retribution and the silencing of a “snitch.”
Mr. Mark had stood up against guns in his west-end neighbourhood, chastised Mr. Skeete’s brother for showing off a weapon to local children, and in the fall of 2008, took a blast of buckshot to his face, neck and back as his thanks.
He later came forward to Toronto Police to identify the brothers as his assailants.
They were charged, spent 13 months in custody, and 12 days after the second of them walked out of court as a free man — despite Mr. Mark’s testimony against them both, Mr. Skeete’s charges were withdrawn and his brother was acquitted at the end of a short, judge-alone trial — he was shot dead at the age of 30.
After Mr. Mark’s slaying, police conducted an extensive and complicated investigation, which involved surveillance of Mr. Skeete, his brother and some of their acquaintances and friends and culminated in searches of no fewer than seven residences in the city.
At least four other young men appear to have been involved one way or another in the shooting.
One is alleged to have acted as the lookout for Mr. Skeete; he was purportedly the fellow seen on store security video pacing up and down in front of the pizza joint where Mr. Mark was buying wings and fries. Another young man, seen shaking hands with Mr. Skeete two days after the shooting, was found in possession of the murder weapon, found fully loaded with silencer on and nicely hidden in a cold air return, beneath a golden hamper, in the main room of the north-end flat he shared with his mother and younger brother.
A nice touch was that above the hamper, perhaps meant to keep the weapon, clip and bullets in the cold air vent safe, was a display of rosary-like beads and a giant evil eye.
This young man has since pleaded guilty and been convicted for possessing the black Walther .22, a street gun with serial number carved out.
Another young guy is alleged to have been involved or to have had knowledge of the plan; prosecutors say he is captured on video being dropped off by the alleged lookout shortly after Mr. Mark’s slaying, which suggests he may have been in the vicinity while it was happening.
A fourth young fellow may have been involved or had knowledge, too: Prosecutors say cellphone analysis shows he was in constant contact with the alleged lookout and Mr. Skeete all that day.
The four are all young black men, all of such an age that their identities are protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
To judge from a parade of Toronto surveillance officers who have testified this week — a collection of less memorable faces you would be hard-pressed to find; they were all pleasant-looking and agreeable but unremarkable — before Ontario Superior Court Judge Ian Nordheimer and a jury, the lads lived curious lives.
Of school age, they appeared rarely to go to school; one of them was one day tailed to his school, where he remained less than an hour. Of an age where parental supervision might be expected, they appear to have had little; how do you hide a loaded semi-automatic in the living room of your mum’s place? Of generally slight stature, the smallest of their clothes, as seized in various search warrants, were 2XL, and many things were 3XL.
And in their oversized jeans and cartoon huge shirts, thus did the alleged pack of killers travel the city, mostly the vast west and northern ends, mostly by bus.
On Mr. Mark’s last night, it’s alleged the lookout supplied a car: Perhaps it was his mummy’s.
