e said he was furious that he had been suddenly tossed out of a Toronto strip club, punched by the doorman, teased by a burly bouncer.
The 115-pound Awet Zekarias was angry enough he wanted to fight the bouncer. But, he insisted, not angry enough to have urged his best friend to fire his handgun at the club staffers, killing a bystander.
Taking the stand at his trial yesterday, Mr. Zekarias threaded carefully between saying that the staff at the Brass Rail strip club on Yonge Street provoked him, while denying that he egged his friend into shooting his pistol.
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Mr. Zekarias had come to the strip club in the early hours of Jan. 12, 2008, to celebrate his 23rd birthday.
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He also denied the Crown’s suggestion that he helped Mr. Paredes sneak his gun into the strip club.
Toronto Strip Clubs: Man accused in Brass Rail murder denies telling his friend into shoot
March 15th, 2010 · No Comments
Tags: Toronto strip clubs
Toronto Strip Clubs: Man accused in Brass Rail murder denies telling his friend to shoot
March 15th, 2010 · No Comments
Denying that he egged his friend into firing his pistol, the co-accused at Toronto’s Brass Rail murder said the shooting happened after the duo was expelled from a strip club without reason and teased by a bouncer.
“I abided by the rule so why do I have to leave?” Awet Zekarias said as he took the stand at his jury trial and described how an evening meant to celebrate his birthday ended with the death of an innocent stranger.
Mr. Zekarias, 25, and his best friend, Edward Paredes, 24, were both charged with second-degree murder after an errant bullet fired outside the Brass Rail strip club on Yonge Street killed a passerby, John O’Keefe, 42.
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Mr. Zekarias had come to the strip club in the early hours of Jan. 12, 2008.
Tags: Toronto strip clubs