[From our Fresno Bureau] FRESNO,CA: After bizarre twists during the trial of murder suspect, Leander Wikum, a Superior Court Judge sentenced him to life in prison, after he was found guilty of the murder John Singh in July of 1992, The sensational murder of a Fresno Taxi driver and part owner of a Cab Co. raised a public outcry not only by Asian groups but also by the public in general. John Singh was murdered by codefendant Wikhum during a kidnapping and robbery after Singh had Stopped for a customer. A few days later police arrested three suspects, named Frank Johnson, his brother Bryan Johnson and Leander Wikhum.
During the 1994 trial of Frank Johnson, his psychologists testified that he was suffering from multiple personality disorder; a psychiatric disorder characterized by the existence of two or more distinct personalities, He was sent Lo a state psychiatric facility for treatment. After he became competent to stand trial he was tried and sentenced to two life terms in prison. Wikbum, native of South America, came to Fresno only three weeks prior to the murder, The lead prosecutor in his trial said that the murder followed a crime spree by the three men during which they robbed and kidnapped another taxi driver, Fred Gates, and robbed motorist Louis Chavez, Wikhum continued to maintain his innocence even after his finger prints ‘were found in Singh’s car and police had recovered a pistol from his residence, which firearm experts testified, was used during the slaying.
Wikhum, expressing his mistrust in the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office, fired his Attomey and acted as his own Attomey during the trial which ended on April 24.
Frank Johnson appeared in the court as a defense witness and claimed that he pulled the trigger. He said that he just acted on his impulse and never wanted to kill John Singh. Johnson said defiantly that he did not mind being called a killer bat hated to be called a liar. “I shot John Singh,” he said in the court, “It takes only one person to pull the trigger.”
Johnson’s testimony appeared to have strengthened Wikhum’s contention that he shot no one. However, the judge found him guilty telling him “You shared equal responsibility for John Singh’s murder,”
John Singh, a native of Punjab migrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles before moving to Fresno to start his own business. Father of fivechildren,47 year old John Singh lived in Selma. Widow Nancy Singh and family and friends felt relieved after this verdict, She however, was pained to note that Wikhum never expressed remorse and tried to abuse the system by acting as his own attorney. “Justice has been served.”
Article extracted from this publication >> May 1, 1996
