Man Pleads Guilty in Friend’s Shooting Death

SANTA ANA â€”  A 22-year-old Garden Grove man pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Wednesday in connection with the shooting death of a friend who was felled by an off-duty security guard during a fracas at a restaurant.

Tu Anh Tran, who faced a possible life sentence in the slaying of his friend and attempted murder and robbery of the security guard, will serve three years of probation under a plea agreement that brings to a close an unusual case, authorities said.

Tran was arrested last April after his friend, Kinh Van Chu, 37, was shot during a fight with Narin S. Thong, an off-duty security guard, at a Westminster restaurant. During the attack, Thong, 26, fired his gun, killing Chu and wounding Tran in the back.

Thong told police that a group of men had attacked him and tried to rob him of his gun.

Authorities determined the shooting was done in self-defense, but prosecutors charged Tran under a state Penal Code provision that allows a suspect to be charged with murder when a “provocative act� results in death.

Tran insisted Wednesday that he is innocent of any crime. However, he said he took the plea bargain rather than risk being found guilty by a jury.

“I had to take it for my life,� he said. “I didn’t want to take the risk of losing my freedom.�

Tran’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jeff Lund, said Tran opted for the plea agreement so he could pursue his future plans.

“He was not happy about pleading guilty. But like in any other negotiation, he gave up his exoneration to get out of jail and continue his education,� Lund said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robin Park, the prosecutor in the case, could not be reached for comment.

The Rancho Santiago College student who once dreamed of becoming a public school soccer coach said the felony on his record has shattered his career goals.

“This has really hurt my future,� said Tran, who was bound for the University of Iowa next fall to continue his education. “It’s not fair. I got (the security guard’s) crime on my record.�

Tran’s case gained support among the Alliance Working for Asian Rights and Empowerment (AWARE), which alleged that Tran is one of a number of Asian Americans wrongfully suspected of gang activity. AWARE activists said they are dissatisfied with the outcome of the case, believing Tran was wrongfully charged.

“We are still upset. We wanted him to walk free, but there was only so much we could do,� said Kim Ha, an AWARE member.

Uncertain of his future now, Tran said the first step is to return to Rancho Santiago College and complete the final credits needed for his associate of arts degree.