Federal prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss crack cocaine-trafficking charges against Willie DeWayne Clark on Thursday now that he has been charged in Denver with the homicides of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams and a cooperating witness.
Clark, 25, could get life in prison in the New Year’s Day 2007 shooting of Williams and the December 2006 fatal shooting of Kalonniann Clark.
Kalonniann Clark, 28, was shot to death just before she was to testify against Brian Hicks, whom she accused of trying to kill her.
Hicks is a suspected drug kingpin and leader of the Elite Eight, a subset of the Tre Tre Crips, who also is facing federal drug charges in the same conspiracy with Willie Clark.
Hicks was in jail at the time of Kalonniann Clark’s death, but an indictment handed up by a Denver grand jury alleges Hicks told Willie Clark to kill Kalonniann Clark.
Willie Clark then found another man, 27-year-old Shun Birch, to help him commit the crime, the indictment says.
Willie Clark and Kalonniann Clark are not related.
In court papers filed Thursday, prosecutors asked that Willie Clark’s charges be dismissed but also said they would refile the federal drug charges if the state murder cases end in acquittals.
“If Clark is convicted on either of these homicides, the government will likely not proceed with its prosecution,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Podolak. “In the event that Clark is acquitted of both homicides, the government may elect to reinstate this current federal prosecution.”
Willie Clark was dealing and cooking crack cocaine as an associate of the Elite Eight, Denver district attorney’s office investigator Robert Fuller has testified.
Clark’s federal attorney, Alaurice Tafoya-Modi, did not return a call seeking comment about the possible dismissal of her client’s case.
Fuller said the Elite Eight was responsible for selling hundreds of kilos of cocaine in east Denver, Park Hill and Five Points and raking in millions of dollars.
The group also is suspected of racketeering and in several shootings and murders.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
