Prosecutors: No death penalty in San Francisco “Shrimp Boy”

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Prosecutors say they will not seek the death penalty against a key defendant in a San Francisco Chinatown crime probe that led to the conviction of a California state senator.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office indicated in a court filing on Monday that it won’t seek the death penalty against Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow. Chow was already facing racketeering and money laundering charges when prosecutors earlier this month charged him with murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a potential sentence of death.

Chow is accused of arranging the 2006 shooting death of Allen Leung, who preceded Chow as leader of the Chinese fraternal group Ghee Kung Tong. He has pleaded not guilty.

The investigation of the Ghee Kung Tong also led to the arrest of state Sen. Leland Yee.