California woman plans not-guilty plea in son-in-law’s killing, lawyer says
A Northern California woman charged with her husband in the fatal shooting of their son-in-law intends to plead not guilty, her court-appointed lawyer said. The defence is expected to focus on allegations that the victim was violent and dangerous, while prosecutors cite video and admissions linking both defendants to the shooting.
A Northern California woman charged with her husband in the killing of their son-in-law plans to plead not guilty, her court-appointed lawyer said on Thursday. Shili Chen and her husband, Shouyong Zhang, both 77, appeared briefly in court in Dublin, California, where they requested more time before entering formal pleas. Prosecutors charged both with murder after authorities said they shot Jonathan McKinsey at a public park on Saturday.
Curtis Briggs, appointed to represent Chen, said the defence would focus on allegations of abuse by McKinsey. He said court documents described the 40-year-old as “extremely violent and dangerous to his family” and as someone who was unable to control his temper. Jennie Otis, representing Zhang, asked for his medical evaluation but did not specify the reason.
Police said a sergeant saw McKinsey on the ground at a sports complex and found the couple nearby in their vehicle after witnesses called emergency services. Officers detained them in the parking lot and found a gun in Chen’s possession. Prosecutors said Zhang later admitted shooting McKinsey and that a second firearm found in the car was the weapon he used.
They also said surveillance footage showed both Chen and Zhang firing at the victim. The shooting occurred days before McKinsey and the couple’s daughter, Candice Jang, were due to attend a hearing in a contentious divorce and child-custody case involving their three children. Court filings show that McKinsey and Jang had accused one another of physical, emotional and psychological abuse over more than a decade.
McKinsey, who was transgender, alleged that Jang and her parents had subjected him to verbal and physical abuse related to his gender transition. Jang separately sought a domestic-violence protection order and made allegations against McKinsey, including claims involving their children. McKinsey denied the accusations in court filings and had pleaded not guilty to earlier child-abuse and child-endangerment charges.
The Associated Press said it had been unable to reach Jang for comment. Both defendants required Mandarin interpreters in court.
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