Victims’ families hope for death penalty
Monday, March 29, 2004 | 8:46 a.m.
The family members of the women murdered by Alfonso "Slinkey" Blake were hoping that the jury that convicted the aspiring R&B singer on Friday would sentence him to death today.
"We're hoping for the death penalty, without question," said Melissa Van Dine, whose sister Priscilla was shot to death by Blake.
"It wouldn't really do anything for us, except that we would know he got what he deserved.
Blake was found guilty Friday of two counts of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and one count of attempted murder with a deadly weapon in the slayings of Sophear Choy, 19, and Priscilla Van Dine, 22, and the shooting of Kim Choy, 23, in a desert area in southwest Las Vegas on March 5, 2003.
After the verdict was readm Melissa Van Dine broke down and began to cry with her mother and father.
"We're so happy because what we knew is now set down in stone," Van Dine said. "My sister and her friends were innocent, young and beautiful and they didn't deserve what happened to them.
"I think about my niece growing up without the love of her mother."
Prosecutors said Blake became angry when the victims reneged on an agreement to rent out rooms in his house and shot them "execution-style" in a desert area near Lone Grove Road and Decatur Boulevard.
Kim Choy survived the shooting, and during her testimony last week she identified Blake as the triggerman. Choy was expected to testify again today during the sentencing phase, according to her father.
Blake's lawyers argued that he suffered from mental disorders and that he was likely delusional when he committed the crimes.
Jinah Chung, Blake's former girlfriend, said Wednesday that she saw Blake lead the women into the desert the night of the slayings. She said she fled with Blake to California, where he confessed the killings to her.
Chung, who worked as a stripper, said Wednesday that she lived in Blake's house with two other Asian women who also worked as strippers. She said the women gave their earnings to Blake, who controlled their money and their whereabouts.
The night of the slayings, Chung said, Blake got into an argument with the women at an intersection near Blake's home. She said Blake began strangling Sophear Choy and banging her head against a nearby sport utility vehicle. It was then that a knife fight ensued, she said.
Chung said Blake instructed her and his two other roommates to leave the area as he led the victims into the desert.
Chung said she fled with Blake to California, but that she was not aware that a shooting had taken place.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Vdara hotel marks opening of CityCenter
- Greenspun reorganizes local media operation, cuts staff
- Harry Reid on mortgages: ‘Bank of America must do more’
- UNLV’s poise to be tested in first road game of season
- Employee files lawsuit against Amazon.com, seeks class-action status
- A sad day at the Sun, but a day for hope
- Bail set at $1 million in fatal Thanksgiving Day shooting
- Firefighter jailed for kicking teen boy after basketball game
- Report: Nevada among friendliest states for small businesses
- Sands plants flag in Singapore
Blogs
The Kats Report
Noteworthy: More from the Trop, Cher changes, Newton on CBS Sunday Morning
TUF Heavyweights
Marathon season finale
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Brian Sandoval is still against taxes, for limiting government and empowering people (6 Comments)
Elsewhere
TCU extends Gary Patterson through 2016
The Kats Report
Dissimilar landmarks -- Binion's and CityCenter -- reflect today's Las Vegas (7 Comments)
High School Sports Scene
Prep Football: State Championship (4 Comments)
Elsewhere
UFC debut in Boston likely July or August (1 Comment)
Calendar »
- 3 Thu
- 4 Fri
- 5 Sat
- 6 Sun
- 7 Mon
-
The Cranberries at The Pearl
The Pearl at the Palms | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Grand opening of Crystals at CityCenter
CityCenter-Crystals | 5 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Sans Age spa night at The Stirling Club featuring Danne' King
Stirling Club | 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
-
Bill Engvall at the Treasure Island Theatre
Treasure Island Theatre
-
Rodney Carrington at the MGM Hollywood Theater
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
-
ILORI sunglass boutique grand opening
Ilori Sunglass Boutique | 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati






