Defendant Pleads Guilty in Shooting Death of Merchant

One of four young men charged with murder in the November 2000 slaying of a lawn mower shop owner at his Chino Hills home pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter and agreed to testify against his co-defendants.

Wilson Kim of Chino Hills, who turns 22 on Sunday, entered the plea in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga. Instead of the usual orange jail jumpsuit he wore a green jumpsuit, which shows he is in protective custody.

Threats have been made against Kim, Deputy Dist. Atty. Sully Moore told Judge Ingrid Uhler. The judge ordered special transportation for him to and from future court hearings so he is kept separate from the other defendants.

A complaint filed in December alleged that defendant Brian Kim, 20, of Chino Hills, the stepson of victim Martin Jung Lee, 54, but no relation to Wilson Kim, is a member of the Wah Ching gang; that defendant Albert Yoon, 21, of Arcadia is a Wah Ching associate; and that defendant My Ngo, 20, of El Monte is a member of the Black Panther gang. Wilson Kim is not alleged to have any gang affiliations.

Prosecutors said Brian Kim hired the others in a plot to kill his stepfather and make it look like a home invasion robbery. The night of the Nov. 3 shooting, Ngo and possibly others in the group of conspirators went to J.R.’s Cafe in San Gabriel for steak and lobster dinners, paying with Lee’s credit card, according to the complaint.

Brian Kim paid the others for their help, the complaint alleges, which led prosecutors to add the special circumstance allegation of murder for financial gain. The allegation makes all the defendants eligible for the death penalty.

The complaint depicted Wilson Kim only as a driver for the others. Brian Kim allegedly gave Wilson Kim $200 and cash stolen from Lee’s wallet for his help in the crime, according to the complaint.

Moore said Wilson Kim’s plea will help the case against the others.

Yoon’s attorney, Brian Weinberger of Encino, said he didn’t think the plea bargain would matter, based on what Yoon has told him.

“I’ve got an innocent client,” he said.

The attorneys for Brian Kim and My Ngo couldn’t be reached for comment.

In return for his plea, his cooperation with an ongoing investigation and his testimony against the other defendants, Wilson Kim now faces a sentence of three years, six years or 11 years in state prison, Uhler told him.

The sentence will be decided by the trial court judge, she said, and will depend on how well he fulfills his promise of cooperation.