Statement In Fatal Fire Questioned Lawyer For Man Accused In Deaths Of 4 Seattle Firemen Says Fbi Erred

Thu., June 12, 1997

Associated Press

A statement Martin Pang made to an FBI agent in Brazil after a 1995 Seattle blaze that killed four firefighters should not be admissible at his trial, Pang’s lawyer told a Superior Court judge Wednesday.

John Henry Browne was referring to a statement taken by FBI agent David Burroughs.

Burroughs testified at the pre-trial hearing before Judge Larry Jordan, saying Pang admitted to starting the fire that destroyed his parents’ frozen-food warehouse.

Browne contended his client was tricked into making a statement.

“It is our position that their (the FBI’s) involvement in this case was a ruse, trying to get Martin to make a statement,” Browne told the court.

Pang, who fled to Brazil after the fire, was arrested and later extradited. Burroughs was present during his arrest.

Pang was charged with arson and four counts of murder in the deaths of the firefighters - James Brown, 25; Walter Kilgore, 45; Gregory hoemaker, 43; and Randall Terlicker, 35.

His trial will begin once the state Supreme Court decides if he can be tried for arson or both arson and murder.

Pang’s lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to throw out the murder charges, saying that they violate the extradition agreement with Brazil.

But prosecutors say the agreement does not exclude murder charges because it describes the alleged crime as arson “with four resulting deaths.”

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