Latest news with #Giammichele
Hamilton Spectator
12-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
What the jury didn't hear in the Giammichele trial
From additional murders connected to the hit man and the notorious drug lord who is alleged to have provided the 'shooter,' to fighting between the lawyers and judge, there was much the jury in the first-degree murder trial of Alessandro Giammichele didn't hear as they considered his fate. Giammichele was found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Marko Bakir by the jury of eight men and four women Tuesday at the John Sopinka Courthouse. Marko Bakir was killed outside his west Mountain home in November 2018. Bakir, 31, was gunned down in the driveway of his west Mountain home on Nov. 22, 2018 . He was pronounced dead at the scene. Giammichele, nicknamed Gino, pleaded not guilty. Assistant Crown attorney Elise Quinn told the jury the case was about money, motive and murder . She said Bakir, who had recently received a $362,000 settlement from a motorcycle accident, had lent Giammichele $100,000 to invest. The money came with a contract that laid out repayment terms, but Giammichele stopped paying. Crown and defence both agree Bakir was shot by hit man Abdelaziz Ibrahim , who is now dead. Abdelziz Ibrahim, the hit man the Crown and defence agreed killed Marko Bakir. But while Ibrahim may have fired the shots, Quinn told the jury Giammichele was the one who ordered the trigger to be pulled. ' Marko's murder only happened because Gino wanted Marko dead ,' she said in her closing. Defence lawyer Kendra Stanyon, in asking the jury to find her client innocent, said the Crown's theory is 'not the only reasonable scenario.' The case involved a lot of technical testimony about cellphone records, cellphone tower data and banking statements. But there is much the jury didn't hear. Marko Bakir and Alessandro Giammichele. The jury heard Salloum (Sal) Jassem was a 'major drug supplier' in Brantford and the area with a 'network of subordinates and access to firearms.' They saw text messages showing Jassem negotiating to buy numerous handguns and illegal drum magazines — and they heard he had 'a lot of shooters.' But the jury didn't hear Jassem had been charged in four other murders. When he died, Jassem was awaiting trial for first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Coby Carter in Brantford in July 2019. Salloum (Sal) Jassem. Jassem had also previously faced a conspiracy to commit murder charge, along with trafficking fentanyl and cocaine and firearm charges in Project Platinum — a multi-agency police investigation into a violent turf war in the tow-truck industry . The probe included the murder of Soheil Rafipour in Richmond Hill , in which Ibrahim was also charged. However, the charges against Jassem were stayed in May 2022. Jassem was also accused of ordering the murder of Roger Van Every, which went horribly wrong on July 18, 2019, when gunmen instead killed Roger's parents, Lynn Van Every and Larry Reynolds , outside their Park Road South home in Brantford. Jassem was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, but was found not guilty following a trial in 2023. Jassem died at Maplehurst Correctional Facility in Milton in 2024. A cause of death has not been released. Meanwhile, the jury in Giammichele's trial heard the Crown and defence agree that Ibrahim is the person who shot Bakir. They also heard Ibrahim was a 'close associate' of Jassem. But they didn't hear that Ibrahim was charged with first-degree murder in two other killings, in addition to Bakir's. When Ibrahim was charged in Bakir's killing alongside Giammichele in 2022, he was already in custody and charged with the Christmas Eve 2018 shooting death of Rafipour in Richmond Hill and the July 2019 shooting death of Carter. Before his arrest, Ibrahim was not known to police. He died in August 2022 at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay. An inquest into his death concluded he died of an accidental fentanyl overdose. While the jury saw cellphone data and messages from Giammichele's time in the Dominican Republic — including messages that appeared to show him in conflict with unidentified individuals — they did not hear about any legal issues, including what assistant Crown Amber Lepchuk said was 'arguably fraud' in the Caribbean nation. During an exchange when the jury was out, Justice Skarica said during pretrial motions in January the Crown said they were aware Giammichele was accused of fraud in the Dominican Republic, but did not plan to introduce that evidence. Lepchuk later sought to have the full context of Giammichele's conversations in the island nation included, as the jury was left with the impression Giammichele was 'not afraid to return' to Canada. While Skarica said he thought the entirety of the conversations would have been better as it showed 'the whole picture' — the judge denied the application, telling the Crown 'you had your chance' during pretrial motions. Meanwhile, Stanyon objected to the Crown's references to a $10,000 payment from Giammichele to Marena Leachman following Bakir's murder , as she said the Crown had indicated they would not lead with the payment, adding the defence was 'very surprised.' However, Skarica said the defence 'opened the door' to discussing the payment by introducing Leachman's phone records in their evidence. 'I was shocked when I saw the exhibit,' he said. Defence Susan Pennypacker asked Skarica to stop 'audibly sighing' during cross-examination — something he denied doing. 'That will be easy for me to do because I am not sighing,' the judge said. Pennypacker also raised concerns about 'interventions' Skarica made during defence cross-examination, citing case law that said a 'trial judge ought not to descend into the arena.' She asked Skarica to 'refrain from interfering' with and questioning further witnesses. However, Skarica, citing case law, said a 'trial is an examination into the truth of what happened,' and a judge's responsibility may require him to ask questions. 'If counsel doesn't ask questions they should have, I will ask them,' he said. During a break in cross-examination of Hamilton police Staff Sgt. Rich Wouters, Stanyon asked Skarica to address what she called 'disparaging' comments by Quinn about the defence. Stanyon suggested Quinn saying the whole timeline from Giammichele's Dominican Republic phone was not included as evidence 'at defence's request' suggested to the jury the defence was 'trying to hide something.' However, Quinn argued the defence is '100 per cent' the reason the full timeline was not included. In response, Quinn said throughout the proceedings Stanyon's tone was 'unprofessional,' 'rude' and 'consistently condescending.' However, Skarica declined to get involved in reprimanding or chastising one counsel or the other in front of the jury, arguing it would be 'tipping the scales.' The judge added, in his opinion there were 'way too many objections' in the case from both sets of counsel over 'minutiae.' 'I've never seen anything like it,' he said. However, Skarica did make pointed comments to Stanyon while the jury was out during an argument about what to include in the judge's charge to the jury. After Skarica made a decision to not include a sentence the defence wanted in the charge and Stanyon continued to argue, the judge told Stanyon he had made his decision. 'You don't like to accept it, you've done it since January,' he said, adding earlier in the trial Stanyon 'literally yelled' at him that she knew the evidence better than him. When Stanyon retorted that in the end she was correct but they would have to 'agree to disagree,' the judge told the defence lawyer her 'arrogance is astonishing.' Skarica added she has 'no respect for this court' as she was late several times with no apology. Before and during the trial there were several legal arguments by defence to exclude pieces of evidence from the trial. Mark Buzzelli — who testified at the trial — was originally charged with accessory after the fact to murder when he was arrested in October 2022. The following May, however, he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of obstructing police for lying to a homicide detective about his connection to Giammichele. The Spectator was the only media to report on the plea, which included a detailed agreed statement of facts that outlined the police theory that Giammichele hired a gunman to kill Bakir over a debt. Marko Bakir, 31, was shot five times in the driveway of his west Mountain home around 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2018 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Court also heard that Buzzelli told police Giammichele confessed to the shooting and details about texts and phone calls between Buzzelli and Giammichele, including just before the murder. More than two months later, Stanyon sought an application to have an after-the-fact publication ban imposed on Buzzelli's plea. The Crown took no position and The Spectator opposed. She argued that the information could impact the jury pool and Giammichele's fair trial rights. Specifically, she pointed to the confession and phone records that she said may not be heard at Giammichele's trial as the defence was looking to challenge admissibility. The jury later heard from Buzzelli about the alleged confession and gun that was left by Giammichele at the witness' home — as well as a multitude of cell data and text message evidence between the two. On Oct. 5, 2023, Ontario Court Justice Amanda Camara dismissed Giammichele's application, agreeing with The Spectator that the defence had not proven a ban was justified. Media are the 'eyes and ears of the public' and it is often 'only through the press that most individuals can really learn about what is happening in the court,' she said. By that point the Buzzelli article was already four months old and the 'toothpaste is out of the tube.' —With files from Nicole O'Reilly Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Sun
11-06-2025
- Toronto Sun
HUNTER: 'Cruel and rotten' killer had hitman murder pal over $100Gs
The judge described Gino Giammichele as an evil person lacking any kind of a moral compass Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox Marko "Mark" Bakir, 31, was shot to death in the driveway of his home on Clifton Downs Rd. in Hamilton on Nov. 22, 2018. Photo by MARKO BAKIR / FACEBOOK Alessandro 'Gino' Giammichele wasn't going to pay back the $100,000 he borrowed from his friend Marko Bakir. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account No way. No how. Bakir allegedly told him that if he didn't cough up the dough, he would inform Giammichele's father about his son's criminal endeavours. Maybe even take him to court. But Giammichele thought he had a better idea. 'Marko lent Gino $100,000 and Gino had 100,000 reasons to want him dead,' assistant Crown attorney Elise Quinn said in her closing argument on May 31. So, the 31-year-old Hamilton man hired a heavy hitter named Abdelaziz Ibrahim, accused in multiple targeted murders, to seal the deal. And on Nov. 22, 2018, around 8:15 p.m., Ibrahim shot Bakir, 31, five times in front of his West Hamilton Mountain home. It would take four years of hard-slogging police work, but all roads would lead back to low-rent dope dealer Alessandro Giammichele. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marko 'Mark' Bakir was fatally shot on Nov. 22, 2018 in his Hamilton driveway. Now, it's payback time. After one day of deliberations, a Hamilton jury found Giammichele guilty of murdering Bakir. CBC News reported that the murder mastermind sat stone-faced as the verdict was read. As for Ibrahim, he long ago caught the night train to Nowheresville via a fentanyl overdose at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay. The prosecution said it was Giammichele — who turned off his phone — who delivered Ibrahim to the murder scene. The two communicated following the hit as Bakir lay lifeless at the coroner. 'This is not a string of bad luck for Gino,' Quinn said. 'The cumulative effect of these events makes it absolutely improbable that these are just a series of unfortunate coincidences, especially when you consider all the other evidence in this case.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Abdelaziz Ibrahim. Suspected hitman died in jail. The defence argued that the evidence against Giammichele was inconclusive. His guilt had not been established beyond a reasonable doubt, they said. After less than a day of deliberations, the 12-person jury emerged agreeing with the Crown. Giammichele was guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal, cold-blooded slaying of his onetime friend. 'I totally agree with that verdict,' Justice Toni Skarica told the jury Tuesday morning. Skarica, who is slated to retire, acknowledged this would likely be the last murder trial he would oversee. The longtime judge was scathing in his contempt for the killer. Describing Giammichele as an evil person lacking any kind of a moral compass, Skarica said the killer would 'rip off everyone, including God, if he had the opportunity.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. '(His heart is so) cruel and rotten it makes the heart of the Grinch look gargantuan in comparison,' the judge said. And then Giammichele was given his diagnosis: Terminal. Life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. RECOMMENDED VIDEO But always left behind in the pageantry of death are the survivors, left only with memories and a pain destined to last an eternity. Bakir's brother Rawand called it a 'permanent nightmare.' 'My mother hasn't fully smiled since, my father cries when he thinks no one is watching, and my chest is so heavy it feels like I can't breathe,' Rawand said. 'The worst part is knowing this didn't have to happen. It was a plan that destroyed our lives.' In signing off, Justice Toni Skarica was philosophical. He said: '(The guilty verdict) is God's insurance policy, in my opinion … that good in society will always win out.' Here's to that. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun NHL Celebrity Editorial Cartoons News Sunshine Girls
Hamilton Spectator
26-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Defence points to dead drug boss, gunman in Marko Bakir murder trial
The defence case for Alessandro Giammichele focused on Salloum Jassem and Abdelaziz Ibrahim on Friday at the John Sopinka Courthouse. Giammichele is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Marko Bakir. He has pleaded not guilty. Bakir, 31, was shot five times in the driveway of his west Mountain home around 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2018, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Assistant Crown attorney Elise Quinn previously told the jury of eight men and four women that while Giammichele didn't physically pull the trigger, he played a 'fundamental role' in the killing. The Crown and defence have agreed Ibrahim, who is now dead, shot Bakir. In 2018, Bakir , who had recently been awarded a $362,000 settlement following a motorcycle crash, lent Giammichele $100,000 to invest, Quinn previously told the jury. The loan came with a contract and repayment schedule — but Giammichele didn't pay it back. Defence lawyer Kendra Stanyon, in presenting the case for the defence, read an agreed statement of facts that both Crown and defence agree Jassem, who is now deceased, was a 'major drug supplier' in Brantford and the surrounding area and had a 'network of subordinates and access to firearms.' The Crown and defence also agreed York Regional Police executed a search warrant at a Brantford address related to Jassem, as well as another related to Ibrahim in Hamilton. Three phones were seized from the Jassem residence and two from Ibrahim's. The jury previously heard that Giammichele appears to have called both Jassem and Ibrahim on the day of Bakir's murder. According to another agreed statement of facts, Crown and defence agree Giammichele was shot in a driveway in Mississauga around 1:40 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2019. Peel police found a tracker on the car Giammichele was driving at the time. Police have never charged anyone in connection with the crime. Stanyon also filed an affidavit that the tracker was linked to a phone number that appears in one of Jassem's phones as 'Zizo 2019.' Ibrahim's former girlfriend Breanna Lefneski previously told the court his nickname was 'Zezo.' Det.-Const. Matt Robinson, who examined the phones for Hamilton police, testified none of the phones appears to have been in use in November 2018. He added there were no communications in the phones about Marko Bakir's murder, and Bakir's and Giammichele's names and numbers did not appear. The jury also saw WhatsApp messages of Jassem negotiating to buy numerous handguns and references to him having 'a lot of shooters.' Robinson testified Mark Buzzelli was arrested for accessory after the fact on Nov. 9, 2022, and, on Nov. 10, he contacted the jail to keep Buzzelli and Giammichele separate. He said that call was made to ensure Buzzelli's safety, as he said generally when people speak to police in violent crime cases, their safety can be at risk. Robinson also told the jury he warned the detention centre after Giammichele was arrested for Bakir's murder on May 18, 2022, in Thunder Bay that Toronto or Brantford gang members 'may want to harm' him. The trial continues Monday.
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Accused appears to have called Marko Bakir's killer the day of his killing
Alessandro Giammichele appears to have communicated numerous times with the man who shot Marko Bakir the day he was killed, a jury heard Thursday at the John Sopinka Courthouse. Hamilton Police crime analyst Jovan Krasulja showed the jury cellphone data indicating there were at least four connections between the phones of Giammichele and Abdelaziz Ibrahim the day Bakir was killed. In addition, Giammichele's phone also texted and called a phone number known to be associated with Salloum (Sal) Jassem Nov. 21 and 22. Bakir, 31, was shot five times in the driveway of his west Mountain home around 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2018. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Giammichele is charged with first-degree murder in Bakir's killing. He has pleaded not guilty. Assistant Crown attorney Elise Quinn previously told the jury of eight men and four women that while Giammichele didn't physically pull the trigger, he played a 'fundamental role' in the killing. In an agreed statement of facts, the Crown and defence previously agreed Ibrahim, who is now dead, is the person who shot Bakir. In 2018, Bakir, who had recently been awarded a $362,000 settlement following a motorcycle crash, lent Giammichele $100,000 to invest, Quinn previously told the jury. The loan came with a contract and repayment schedule — but Giammichele didn't pay it back . The jury also previously heard in the agreed statement of facts that Ibrahim was a 'close associate' of Jassem and , as heard earlier in the trial, phone numbers for 'Bob Marley' and 'Amanda Hug'n'Kiss' are agreed to be connected to Jassem or his associates. The court also saw surveillance video Thursday from Bakir's neighbourhood which appears to show a red pickup truck driving past at 8:11 p.m. The jury previously heard Giammichele drove a red Ford F-150 at the time of the murder. Surveillance video appears to show an individual walk toward Bakir's home at 8:13 p.m. Then, at 8:15 p.m., an individual runs in the opposite direction from Bakir's home — and less than a minute later, the video shows a red pickup truck and a grey hatchback leave from the direction the individual ran to. Krasulja told the jury a phone registered to Breanna Lefneski — which the court previously heard she purchased for Ibrahim — called a number associated with Jassem at 8:16 p.m. from to a tower near Bakir's home. At 8:17 p.m., Ibrahim's phone connected to two towers near Bakir's home, Krasulja told the jury. Krasulja testified the 'Bob Marley' phone number associated with Jassem connected to a cellphone tower in Brant County at 7:15 p.m. Nov. 22 and again two minutes before Bakir was killed. He said police did not get call records from the 'Hug'n'Kiss' phone. He told the jury there were 17 text messages and several calls between Giammichele and a Jassem-related 'Bob Marley' phone Nov. 21. There was also a call and text from the 'Hug'n'Kiss' number associated with Jassem to Giammichele's phone in the early afternoon of Nov. 22, followed by several calls and texts from the 'Hug'n'Kiss' number to Ibrahim's phone. Following those calls, both Ibrahim's and Giammichele's phones connected with the same tower close to Vlad Sulug's Hendershot Road shop shortly before 5 p.m., Krasulja said. Ibrahim's phone called Giammichele's just before 6 p.m. from a tower close to Bakir's home, Krasulja said, and one of Giammichele's phones does not connect to another tower until 9:25 p.m. Giammichele's other phone and Ibrahim's phone both connected to Ibrahim's home tower on Concession Street shortly before 7 p.m., Krasulja said. Giammichele's second phone did not connect to a tower again until 10:24 p.m. During cross-examination by defence lawyer Susan Pennypacker, Krasulja said cellphone tower data cannot pinpoint the location of a person, just that their device is within the service area of the tower. He agreed two people may ping off the same tower, but may not be in the same location. The trial continues Friday.
Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Accused asked friend for ‘untraceable firearm' before Bakir murder, jury hears
Alessandro Giammichele asked for an 'untraceable firearm' in the summer of 2018, his friend Jason Davies testified Wednesday at the John Sopinka Courthouse. Davies said shortly after the pair met in early 2018, Giammichele told him he had a gun and a concealed carry permit. So when Giammichele made the request, Davies asked him why he needed an 'untraceable firearm.' 'He wanted one and he needed one,' Davies said Giammichele told him. Giammichele is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Marko Bakir, 31, in November 2018. He has pleaded not guilty. Assistant Crown attorney Elise Quinn previously told the jury of eight men and four women that while Giammichele didn't physically pull the trigger, he played a 'fundamental role' in the killing . Quinn said the alleged 'hitman' who shot Bakir five times in his driveway was Abdelaziz Ibrahim, who is now dead. In 2018, Bakir, who had recently been awarded a $362,000 settlement following a motorcycle crash, lent Giammichele $100,000 to invest, Quinn previously told the jury. The loan came with a contract and repayment schedule — but Giammichele didn't pay it back . Davies told the jury he saw the accused with a firearm at Giammichele's uncle Vlad Sulug's Hendershot Road shop a month or a month and a half after the request. That was roughly a month or a month and half before Bakir was killed, Davies testified. After seeing him with the gun, Davies said, Giammichele told him he 'didn't need an untraceable gun anymore.' Davies also told the jury Giammichele had the password for his phone and often used it. He testified he saw Giammichele at his uncle's shop Nov. 22, 2018 — the day Bakir was killed — and Giammichele used Davies' phone that day. The jury saw text messages sent from an app on Davies' phone on the afternoon of Nov. 22 that read '157 Hendershot Road, Hamilton' at 2:52 p.m., followed by 'Please confirm appointment time, thanks' at 2:53 p.m. Davies told the jury he did not send the messages, but under cross-examination from defence lawyer Susan Pennypacker, Davies said Giammichele 'would have had to have' sent the messages, as — despite being at the shop — he didn't know the Hendershot Road address. 'Why would I put in an address I don't even know?' he said. Davies also told the jury he learned about Bakir's murder from Giammichele the next day. He testified at the time of Bakir's murder Giammichele drove a red Ford F-150 and a red Jeep Cherokee, but said Giammichele drove the F-150 more frequently. A red F-150 — the same colour, make and model as Giammichele's — was captured on surveillance footage from two different cameras in Bakir's neighbourhood, Quinn told the court earlier in the trial. During cross-examination, Pennypacker pressed Davies on which vehicle Giammichele drove around the time Bakir was killed, suggesting he was not sure about when Giammichele drove the red F-150. He said Giammichele did drive the F-150 at the time of the murder, but said he wasn't sure how long after Nov. 22 he may have driven it. Davies agreed with Pennypacker that Giammichele would often let other people drive his vehicles, adding he often drove them — including the F-150. Davies, who lived with Giammichele for a month during the summer of 2018, testified that he was addicted to cocaine for a year and bought it from Giammichele. Davies agreed with Pennypacker that Giammichele had cash, a lot of vehicles, no job and was going to strip clubs and bringing strippers back to his home. While Davies agreed Giammichele was not hiding that he had lots of money, was selling drugs and was 'partying all the time,' he did not believe Giammichele's father knew about his son's involvement in the drug trade. The court also heard Wednesday from Logan Day, who lived in Hamilton from May 2017 to January 2020. He testified one of his roommates was friends with someone he knew as 'Zezo.' Day told the court he did not know his real name at the time, but he later learned from police it was Abdelaziz Ibrahim. He testified that Ibrahim visited with his girlfriend and stayed over at the apartment several times — including during November 2018. He told the jury he did not know Bakir or Giammichele. The trial continues Thursday.
