Trial begins for man accused of slaying in 1999

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2000 | 11:35 a.m.

Gregg Lacedra first said he was unaware that his friend Stephon Brown was slowly bleeding to death a few feet away from him. Then he fingered someone else in the slaying. Finally, he said he was a DEA agent who killed Brown in the line of duty.

That wasn't true, either.

In reality, Lacedra, 31, stabbed Brown to death over a drug deal, Deputy District Attorney Michael O'Callaghan told jurors Monday.

Monday was the first day in Lacedra's murder trial in the Christmas Day 1999 death of Brown, a 36-year-old diabetic and multiple sclerosis patient with a bad reputation.

During his opening arguments Monday, O'Callaghan told jurors that on Dec. 25, 1999, Brown and Lacedra ended up in the valet parking lot at the Palace Station hotel-casino.

The valets first became aware of the pair after Brown's Cadillac hit a parked car. Inside the Cadillac, witnesses will testify they saw the two men tussling in the front seat, O'Callaghan said.

Moments later, they will testify they saw Lacedra get out of the car, open the trunk and throw a gas can at Brown, O'Callaghan said. They'll also say they saw Brown reach underneath the seat of the car, come up with a gun and fire two shots at Lacedra.

Seconds after Brown got out of the car, he collapsed onto the ground, O'Callaghan said. At first he was highly agitated and talkative, by the time ambulance crews arrived, he was gasping for breath.

Before he died, O'Callaghan said Brown told hotel security Lacedra stabbed him. When asked why, he said "buying drugs."

Deputy Special Public Defender Joseph Sciscento told jurors his client did kill Brown. But, he said, he killed him in self-defense.

Although it's rare for defense attorneys to call police officers, Sciscento said he is going to call at least five officers who will testify about Brown and his propensity for threats and violence.

Others will testify that Brown was always armed and always threatening people, including Lacedra, with death, Sciscento said.

Lacedra, too, will take the stand.

"He's going to testify he was fighting for his life, and he knew the only way he was going to get of that car alive was to stab him," Sciscento said.

"Stephon Brown lived by the gun, and he died by the gun when he pulled it and pointed it at my client," Sciscento said.