The case against Titus for solicitation is dead. The Fuzz made the entire thing up, along with the help of some jailhouse rat.
Informant driving force in murder-for-hire probe; In calls, he prods man to meet with undercover detective
By GLENN PUIT, REVIEW-JOURNAL
Deen Cassim (photo)
Jailhouse informant & rat
A review of more than 100 phone calls recorded by police in the Craig Titus murder-for-hire investigation shows that a jailhouse informant, Deen Cassim, was a driving force behind the inquiry.
On the tapes, Cassim is heard repeatedly prodding Nelson Brady Jr., a friend of Titus, to meet with an undercover detective to pay for the services of a hit man named "Fred."
Cassim tells Brady that Fred, in turn, is willing to kill as many as three witnesses in Titus' murder case for the right price. Titus and his wife, Kelly Ryan, both professional bodybuilders, are accused of killing their personal assistant, Melissa James.
But when Brady doesn't show at three separate meetings with an undercover officer to hire Fred, Cassim becomes irritated. In one conversation, Cassim seems to threaten Brady.
"What you're dealing with right now is not something like buying a $10 piece of crack," Cassim says. "OK, you're dealing with something that puts you in a different league.
"When you're dealing with someone like Fred, you are dealing with guys ... (just) a snap of the fingers," Cassim says. "If they feel that a situation is coming up, they take care of it. They don't take care of it by threats. They take care of it by how they do it.
"I'm so (expletive) pissed man," Cassim tells Brady. "I'm willing to spend twenty grand for (Fred) to come see you."
Brady responds, saying, "No, I know, Deen. I'm telling you I'm not going to let you down on this."
Cassim also tells Brady that Brady disrespected him when he didn't show at the meetings to hire Fred.
Cassim, in custody on a robbery charge, claims he can "do a lot" even though he is behind bars.
"You know the game. When you disrespect someone in prison ... you're dead. The way you acted today, that's disrespecting me ... but I know you realize I can do a lot of (expletive) from in here, and I'll tell you why ... I'm very well connected in Vegas."
"That's why I'm not going to (expletive) with you," Brady says.
Brady eventually did participate in two meetings with an undercover detective, authorities said.
Police said Brady showed up at the meetings and handed over two envelopes containing cash and information on the three targets of the murder-for-hire plot: Anthony Gross, Megan Pierson Foley and Jeremy Foley. All three have given witness statements alleging that Titus and Ryan made incriminating statements about James last year.
Brady now is charged with three counts of solicitation to commit murder.
Brady's defense attorney, Erick Ferran, said the audio recordings raise questions about whether Cassim's actions on behalf of police were legal.
"This is not a case where my client ever manifested a clear willingness to be involved in this scheme," Ferran said. "Without the government instigating the plan, initiating it, then brooding and pursuing my client, I don't think there would be any case at all."
But in one of the conversations, Cassim seems to tell Brady that he doesn't have to go through with the plan if he doesn't want to.
In addition, Brady tells Cassim that Titus knows about the plan.
Cassim tells Brady: "When you're telling me Craig only knows so much and he doesn't know anything, (it's) 'cause we (are) on the phone, right?"
Brady: "He does know now."
Cassim: "He does know, right?"
Brady: "Guaranteed."
