Jury begins deliberations in attempted-murder trial of Chino Hills man
Jurors began deliberations this afternoon following closing arguments in the trial of a Chino Hills man accused of trying to strangle his estranged wife to death.
Oscar Gonzalez, 46, is accused of hiding in the trunk of his wife's car while she was at work in Chino, then emerging and strangling her with a rope after she began driving home.
Gonzalez's wife, Maria del Rosario Gonzalez, survived the Feb. 17, 2006 attack after a Chino police officer saw her car run a stop sign.
She was unconscious and close to death when police cut her free from the rope, according to prosecutors.
In her closing argument today at West Valley Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Michele Daly called the attack "every woman's worst nightmare."
Maria del Rosario Gonzalez told her husband and their two daughters she wanted a divorce in December 2003, and moved out of the family's home in February 2004, according to her trial testimony.
She said her husband threatened to kill her repeatedly after she said she wanted a divorce, even once suggesting that the couple kill themselves.
After the threats, she went to great lengths to try to hide her place of residence and the location of her job from her husband, because she said she feared him.
Maria del Rosario Gonzalez was living at her brother's home in Chino at the time of the attack.
"When he became guilty of attempted murder of his wife was when he put the rope around her neck and tightened it," Daly said.
Robert Von Schlichting, Oscar Gonzalez's defense attorney, said in his closing argument that his client was clinically depressed over the separation with his wife, and didn't intend to kill his wife when she was strangled.
He also said the rope was further tightened when it became tangled with the woman's hair, and when she and police attempted to loosen it by tugging on it.
During testimony at Gonzalez's trial, a psychologist who examined him last year said she believes Gonzalez was clinically depressed.
Von Schlichting also said during closing arguments that because of Gonzalez's mental condition, he was unable at the time of the attack to properly understand the consequences of his actions.
Today's proceedings started at about 10 a.m. with Judge Michael Libutti instructing the jury on the law that applies to Gonzalez's case.
Closing arguments from the attorneys followed, and ended at about 2:30 p.m.
The jury was scheduled to deliberate until 4 p.m. today, then resume deliberations at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Gonzalez is charged with one count of attempted murder, with a special allegation that he committed the crime wilfully, with deliberation and premeditation.
If the jury finds the special allegation true, Gonzalez potentially faces a lengthier prison sentence.
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