Pang Visited By Brazilian Attorney

Martin Pang, accused in the arson deaths of four firefighters, was visited at his Rio de Janeiro jail cell Tuesday by his newly hired Brazilian attorney.

The topic of Pang’s reported confession to FBI agents didn’t come up, the attorney told KING-TV. The attorney said Pang appeared in good health but was worried about his future, KING reported.

According to media reports, Pang confessed to his involvement in the Jan. 5 fire that destroyed his parents’ food-products business and killed four firefighters. The admission to FBI agents came shortly after his arrest in Rio on Thursday and was oral, not videotaped, KING-TV and KIRO-TV reported Tuesday.

Pang’s attorneys in Seattle, Allen Ressler and John Henry Browne, would not confirm or deny the reports of a confession. Ressler hired a Brazilian attorney Monday to represent Pang in Rio.

Pang, 39, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. He is accused of arranging the fire that destroyed the Mary Pang Food Products Inc. warehouse.

He fled to Brazil last month.

Dan Satterberg, chief of staff for the King County prosecutor’s office, said the arson charge was added Friday to clarify for Brazilian authorities exactly what Pang is accused of doing, and to avoid difficulties with Brazilian law. Under U.S. law, arson is one element of the crime of murder in a case like this one. Under Brazilian law, the arson must be spelled out as a separate crime.