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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
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2 1 - 1 0 - 2 0 0 6 BODYBUILDERS CASE: Murder-for-hire plot alleged
Man suspected of trying to have Titus-Ryan witnesses killed
By GLENN PUIT A man with ties to bodybuilder Craig Titus has been charged with trying to hire a hit man to kill three witnesses in Titus' high-profile murder case. According to police reports obtained Friday by the Review-Journal, Nelson Ronald Brady Jr. of Las Vegas was arrested this week on three counts of solicitation to commit murder. [Inmate In Custody Status - op GetBig.com, October 20, 2006] Detectives allege in the reports that Brady met with an undercover detective posing as a hit man in May, then paid $1,500 as a down payment to have the three potential witnesses in Titus' murder case killed. Police reports identified two of the targets as Megan Pierson Foley and her husband, Jeremy Foley. The pair, who are considered crucial witnesses in the case, told a grand jury that Titus and Ryan had made incriminating statements about James' demise. A third target of the plot, according to police reports, was Anthony Gross, who is charged with helping Titus and Ryan dispose of James' body. Authorities said Friday night that they had not charged Titus or Ryan in the murder-for-hire plot. Clark County prosecutor Robert Daskas declined to comment when asked whether anyone else would be charged. Daskas did confirm, however, that Brady and Titus were once housed together at the Clark County Detention Center and that police had recorded phone calls between the two men. "Titus and Brady were housed together at the Clark County Detention Center, and we have confirmation that when Brady was released from jail, they stayed in telephone contact," Daskas said. Titus' defense attorney, Marc Saggese, said Titus had nothing to do with any plan to kill witnesses in his case. Saggese described Brady as a drug-addicted loner who was acting on his own.
The attorney said he does not believe Titus will be charged. "It's smoke and mirrors -- a game," Saggese said. "They know they could not substantiate this. There's not a shred of evidence to support the premise that Craig had anything to do with this." Ryan's attorney, Greg Denue, said his client has had nothing to do with Brady. "Even if any of this is true, it doesn't show any involvement with my client," Denue said. Pierson Foley told a grand jury earlier this year that she and her husband were at Titus and Ryan's house in the hours before James' body was found, and that Titus and Ryan made incriminating statements about James' death. Pierson Foley said Ryan told her that during a confrontation with James, she took a Taser gun away from James and used it on her. "It, I guess, stunned her in the back of her neck, but she (Ryan) didn't have it (the Taser) up high enough, so it just kind of got her attention," Pierson Foley told the grand jury. "Kelly tried to do it again, and she, I guess she didn't have the voltage up high enough, so she yelled for Craig, and Craig came upstairs, picked Melissa up, brought her downstairs into the living room and supposedly body slammed her and started beating her up," Pierson Foley testified. Ryan told Pierson Foley that after the beating, James "took a Xanax" and went to bed, Pierson Foley testified. "While she was sleeping, Kelly went into her room and punched her in the face," Pierson Foley said. "She (Ryan) said that she punched her a couple of times, she showed me the marks on her knuckles from it, and she said that ... Craig was holding her down and told Kelly to get the morphine and she shot a whole needle of morphine into her leg," Pierson Foley testified. Later that evening, Titus demonstrated for Pierson Foley "how you can strangle somebody," and then he demonstrated a choke hold for Pierson Foley, according to her grand jury testimony. "He did it on me, and you instantly stop breathing," Pierson Foley said. "Craig just walked in and started talking about it and, that's how, he started talking more about how he said that he killed Melissa," Pierson Foley said. According to police reports, in March police developed an informant at the Clark County Detention Center named Deem Cassim. Cassim is jailed for the December 2004 robbery of 2004 World Series of Poker champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer outside his Bellagio Hotel room. Cassim told homicide detectives that he had been approached by Brady, a fellow inmate, "for the contract killing of Anthony Gross and the possible contract killing of two other witnesses in the case against Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan," police reports state. "Cassim believed Brady and Titus were in contact with each other, had discussed details of Titus' case, and discussed what needed to be done with Gross," a police affidavit states. "Cassim said Brady gave him details about the use of a Taser only the police and Titus would know." Cassim explained to Brady how the killings could be coordinated from inside the detention center, according to the reports. Cassim would contact a hit man on the outside, and when Brady was released, he would meet with a go-between and "provide them with an envelope containing the up front money, a picture of Gross, Gross' address, and the names of any bars or clubs Gross frequented." When Brady was released from custody, several phone calls between Brady and Cassim were recorded by police. In one phone call, the men discussed financing the slayings and the need for the hit man to provide proof of the victims' killings by producing photos of their dead bodies. Two separate meetings between Brady and the go-between, an undercover detective, were set up at an area Starbucks, police reports state. Brady failed to show up to both meetings. According to police reports, Brady did show up at a third meeting with the undercover detective and produced two envelopes containing $500 each. In a meeting that was taped by police, Brady was heard discussing how one of the envelopes was for a "book publication." When detectives later opened the envelopes, they found the money, a photo of Gross and personal information about Gross and the Foleys, according to the reports. In a subsequent meeting with the undercover detective, Brady produced $500 more and wrote down an address where photos of the dead bodies could be sent, according to police. According to police reports, Titus spoke with Brady twice by phone from the Clark County Detention Center during the investigation and the conversations were taped. In one conversation, Titus and Brady talk about a "book publishing deal," according to the reports. "Brady said that he had been on the Internet to see which characters are going to be in the book," according to a police affidavit. "Brady says he knows how to keep those characters from being in his book. Titus said, 'Yeah. No (expletive). Yeah, from the screen play, yeah." The two men also discussed money briefly, and Titus mentioned a "publisher," according to authorities. "Brady says yeah, but they want some money, and I've been trying to drum up money to get these people to give their stories, and that's what I need help with," according to a police affidavit. "Brady says he needs 'ten.' Brady tells Titus he is going to walk." A second phone conversation between Titus and Brady was recorded on May 19, the day of the second meeting between Brady and the undercover detective, according to police. "Brady tells Titus he is taken care of," a police affidavit stated. "Brady says he is talking about 'the book.' Brady tells Titus they will be making money on that book. He tells Titus that the book has been paid for. Titus changes the subject. "Titus tells Brady the types of vehicles that targets 'number two' (Megan) and 'number three' Jeremy drive," the affidavit said. "Brady says 'That's not going to be an issue, those two, anyway.'" Daskas said Friday night that police made sure the three targets of the plot were never in danger. "We have zero tolerance for someone who's willing to manipulate the outcome of a prosecution by harming citizens who provide information to law enforcement," Daskas said. "Both Metro homicide detectives and our office have monitored this particular situation very closely for several months to ensure that these witnesses were never in harm's way." Titus and Ryan are scheduled to go to trial in January. 2 5 - 1 0 - 2 0 0 6 Contacts between suspects extend beyond jail time
Plot alleged targeting witnesses in Titus case
By GLENN PUIT The man accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill three key witnesses in the Craig Titus murder case has numerous ties to the bodybuilder, from helping Titus prepare his homes for sale to claiming a direct line of communication to Titus' family. As of Monday, Titus had not been charged in the murder-for-hire plot, but his ties to Nelson Brady Jr. could allow prosecutors to tell Titus' jury about the plot even if Titus is never charged with being involved. Brady was arrested by Las Vegas police last week on three charges of solicitation to commit murder. Authorities allege that earlier this year, Brady paid an undercover detective $1,500 to kill three of the people expected to testify against Titus and the bodybuilder's fitness champion wife, Kelly Ryan, when the couple is tried on a charge of murder in the death of Melissa James, their 28-year-old personal assistant. That trial is scheduled for January. Titus and Brady had been housed together for two weeks in February in the same section of the Clark County Detention Center, but their relationship extended beyond the jail. Brady helped get two of the three Las Vegas homes the couple owned ready for sale. Titus' attorney Marc Saggese said Monday that Brady's father, at his son's request, "helped ... him (Titus) evict the tenants and change the locks." That happened sometime this year, but exactly when was unclear. Additionally, the police reports state that Brady volunteered to the police informant that he had talked to Titus' relatives, who were not identified by name in police reports. "Brady said he'd talked to Craig's family earlier in the morning," Brady's arrest report states. "Brady said he had been given the 'okay' to go ahead with all three." Las Vegas police did not return calls seeking more information about the involvement of Titus' relatives. Brady also told the informant he had been using a different phone to talk to Titus' relatives. "Pretty good idea, huh?" police quoted Brady as saying to the informant. "When it's said and done, that phone will be gone." The police report also states that "Brady told (the informant) he had talked to Craig about everything." Saggese, however, said Titus was shocked at allegations that Brady had plotted to kill the witnesses. "Craig Titus didn't have any idea that these wheels were potentially turning," Saggese said. "He (Titus) is very isolated in jail. What people do outside of jail, believing they could somehow assist Craig, is totally out of Craig's control." Prosecutor Robert Daskas did not respond Monday to a request for comment on the case, but defense lawyer Dayvid Figler said even if Titus is never charged with conspiring with Brady, Titus and his lawyer could find themselves fending off the murder-for-hire allegations in court. Figler said that under Nevada law a judge could allow information about the murder-for-hire allegations to be introduced at Titus and Ryan's trial, if prosecutors ask to have the evidence introduced and meet certain conditions. "I don't know a prosecutor who wouldn't want an effort to eliminate witnesses in front of the jury," Figler said. Prosecutors would first have to show that the plot to kill witnesses is relevant to the trial, that the information is not prejudicial to Titus and Ryan's ability to get a fair trial and that there is "clear and convincing evidence" that Titus was involved. The standard of proof for that type of evidence is lower than that required for a conviction, which is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. If Brady implicates Titus, Brady's credibility probably will be challenged. He has been arrested 14 times in Las Vegas since 1990, according to Las Vegas police records. The vast majority of those arrests were for traffic citations and warrants for Brady's failure to resolve the cases, appear in court or pay fines, but Brady also has been arrested at least twice for domestic violence and once on drug charges. Titus, 41, is a past place finisher in the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition. Ryan, 34, is arguably the most successful female fitness athlete in America. Authorities said the two killed James at their southwest Las Vegas home by beating her, shocking her with a Taser, injecting her with morphine and duct-taping her face. The couple secured the help of Anthony Gross to help dispose of James' body in the desert, where her remains were set on fire in the trunk of Ryan's Jaguar, according to police. Gross was one of the people whom Brady was trying to have killed, according to police. They said they uncovered the plan earlier this year when an informant at the Clark County Detention Center named Deem Cassim said he had approached by Brady regarding a murder-for-hire plot in the Titus case. The other two people whom Brady was allegedly seeking to have slain were the two other key witnesses, Megan Pierson Foley and her husband, Jeremy Foley. The Foleys were at Titus and Ryan's house the night before James' body was found, and they told police Titus and Ryan made incriminating statements about James' demise. Pierson Foley also told police that when she left Titus and Ryan's home that night, Titus gave her a black bag containing a Taser. Authorities say that Taser was used in James' slaying. Cassim told police he and Brady discussed how much money would be paid to kill Gross. "They spoke about a $25,000 up front payment and a $25,000 supplemental payment when the job was done," police wrote. "Because Titus was concerned about paying the money up front with no guarantee the job would be done, Cassim suggested he could have the job done on his say-so and Titus would pay $50,000 at the end." When Brady was released from jail, Cassim arranged for him to meet with a friend, "Edison." An undercover officer posing as that friend was then scheduled to meet with Brady, and Brady was supposed to provide him with two envelopes: one with money and another with Gross' photograph and contact information inside. Edison was to pass the money and information on to the hit man, "Fred." Cassim said he and Brady agreed to refer to Gross only as "number 23" in their conversations. "Cassim asked Brady if he had the money to cover the $350 expense money for 'Edison,' " a police report states. "Brady said, 'Yes...that's fine ... it's well worth it.' Brady told Cassim, 'I'm glad you're doing this.' " Cassim told Brady they would know the deal had gone through when "number 23" didn't show up to court on a particular date. "Brady responded by saying, 'I definitely want this to go through,' " according to the police report. In April, Brady failed to show up at two meetings that had been arranged with "Edison." But in May, Brady did meet with the undercover detective and produced two envelopes containing $500 each. In a meeting that was taped by police, Brady was heard discussing how one of the envelopes was for a "book publication." When detectives later opened the envelopes, they found the money, a photo of Gross and personal information about Gross and the Foleys, according to the reports. In a subsequent meeting with the undercover detective, Brady produced $500 more and wrote down an address where photos of the dead bodies could be sent, according to police. Titus spoke with Brady twice by phone from the Clark County Detention Center during the investigation and the conversations were taped, the police report notes. During one of the calls, Titus and Brady talked about a "book publishing deal," police wrote. "Brady said that he had been on the Internet to see which characters are going to be in the book," according to a police affidavit. "Brady says he knows how to keep those characters from being in his book. Titus said, 'Yeah. No (expletive). Yeah, from the screenplay, yeah." The two men also discussed money briefly, and Titus mentioned a "publisher," according to authorities. "Brady says yeah, but they want some money, and I've been trying to drum up money to get these people to give their stories, and that's what I need help with," according to a police affidavit. "Brady says he needs 'ten.' Brady tells Titus he is going to walk." A second phone conversation between Titus and Brady was recorded on May 19, the day of the second meeting between Brady and the undercover detective, according to police. "Brady tells Titus he is taken care of," a police affidavit stated. "Brady says he is talking about 'the book.' Brady tells Titus they will be making money on that book. He tells Titus that the book has been paid for. Titus changes the subject." 2 2 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 6 Man freed in Las Vegas bodybuilder witness slaying plot
AP LAS VEGAS - A convicted felon was set free after informing authorities of a plot to kill witnesses in the upcoming murder trial of married bodybuilders Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan, a newspaper reported. Deen Cassim's sentence was reduced in June to probation and he was released from the Clark County jail, according to documents cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal for a Tuesday report. Cassim, 32, had been sentenced in March to three to 12 years in prison for the 2004 robbery of nationally known poker player Greg "Fossilman" Raymer at the Bellagio hotel-casino. Weeks later, according to police reports, he told authorities about the plot to murder three key witnesses against Titus and Ryan. The bodybuilding couple are due to stand trial in January in the slaying last December of their personal assistant, Melissa James, 28. Authorities allege that in May, Nelson Ronald Brady Jr., a former cellmate of Titus, met with an undercover detective posing as a hit man and paid a $1,500 down payment on the killings. Brady was arrested in October and faces three charges of solicitation to commit murder. Brady's lawyer has said Brady will fight the charges. Neither Titus, 41, nor Ryan, 34, has been charged in the alleged witness slaying plot, although prosecutor Robert Daskas said in court recently that Titus was involved. Daskas declined comment on the Review-Journal report. Titus defense lawyer Marc Saggese told the newspaper he was stunned that prosecutors let Cassim go free. |
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