December 4, 2007
Murder Suspect Testifies With Fake Asian Accent, Claims Police Framed Him
In May of 2006, a bouncer at Opus West 22nd Street was arrested after shooting four clubgoers, killing one of them. Then it turned out that Stephen Sakai was possibly connected to three other murders of associates from when he worked at a strip club in Brooklyn. Yesterday, Sakai took the stand in his trial for the three Brooklyn murders. And, boy, to be on that jury.
The Post reports that he used a fake Asian accent (the NY Times says it was reminiscent of Star Trek's Sulu), "consistently mispronouncing his l's as r's," and wore "Charlie Chan-style mustache." One example: "During this trial, I've had to sit there and listen to rie after rie."
According to the Daily News (which said the Asian accent was "comically thick"), his mother claims Sakai has had a speech impediment. At any rate, Sakai claimed that former co-workers Irving Matos and Edwin Mojica were killed "because they supported me, collecting evidence against a dirty cop."
When Sakai was cross-examined, prosecutors asked him why he changed his last name from Sanders to Sakai (to "honor...family members"), what ninjitsu is (it was on his resume, apparently it's training to be a ninja), how he claimed he flew to Asia without a passport (a businessman's private jet, of course) and where a secret journal with information in it was. Sakai said his mother was bringing the journal to court, but didn't realize his mother was in the court room. From the NY Times:
“Isn’t she in the courtroom?” [prosecutor Timothy] Gough asked.Sakai's lawyer was unable to get a mental exam for the defendant. Mojica's sister said, "It's ludicrous. I ust hope everyone can see through this."Mr. Sakai said she was not. Mr. Gough pointed out Ms. Troutman in the gallery.
From her position by the center aisle, [Sakai's mother Carmen] Troutman spoke up in a clear, unaccented voice.
“It’s a new hat,” she said.
From the witness stand, Mr. Sakai accused his lawyer of taking part in a conspiracy against him. Justice John P. Walsh, who is presiding over the trial in State Supreme Court, called the lawyers out for a private conference. Mr. Sakai gazed off. The jurors stared down at their feet. Several minutes passed.
And Sakai will face another trial for the shooting outside Opus 22.
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He sure looks like he belongs in prison, don't he?
Japanophilia. Sad that it went that deep.
Did he sound like this?
Me Chinese,
me play joke.
Me put pee pee in your coke.
He don't rook Chinese maybe South Korean or Japanese. Moustache would be rot ronger if Chinese.
Where rawyer friend Al Sharpton?
Maybe next trial be Mexican accent.
Sulu didn't have an "asian accent." If anything he sounds kind of like a game show host.
That being said George Takei's voice cracks me up.
He sure looks like he belongs in prison, don't he?
can jurors sue defendants for WASTING THIER BLOODY TIME?????
Dick Wolf is prepping his new spinoff - L&O:LOL Edition
He should go ahead and shoot the moon - claim that he speaks our language so well because he attended Oxford.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMPLmQTp0Hk
he might have a crazy fake accent but he couldn't get the iq part right.
I was on the grand jury that indicted this guy back in May/June 2006.
dbc- did he do the accent for the grand jury?
He probably changed his name to reference Sakai City in Japan, which, according to the NY Times "has reigned as the capital of the Japanese samurai sword and knife industry since the 1300’s."
That Times writer is an idiot. Sulu had no accent. He spoke better English than many native New Yorkers. George Takei did at times use a fake accent with roles such as immigrants or Asian military officers or when dubbing Japanese films, but didn't have one himself. Why would he? He was born and raised in Los Angeles. On the other hand, Chekov had a comically thick fake Russian accent.
Wow, it's heartening to see so many old Star trek fans - or are you all gay guys...?