sws4420
06-19-2005, 09:26 AM
(Amusing portions of the story are highlighted...)
BLOOMINGTON -- A Bloomington woman was charged today with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of her disabled boyfriend, whom she claims instigated the incident by attacking her.
McLean County Circuit Judge Scott Drazewski ordered Guadelupe Medina jailed in lieu of $25,000. Prosecutors dismissed a previously filed felony count of obstruction of justice, for which she had been in custody.
Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Patton said Medina stabbed Alberto Ramos 42 times during the May 26 incident at Ramos' apartment in the 1200 block of Orchard Road. He suffered wounds to the head, neck and upper torso.
Medina, a 30-year-old native of Honduras, reportedly told investigators that Ramos attacked her with a knife while she was in the bathroom. She claimed a struggle ensued in which she wrested the knife from Ramos and stabbed him, according to court documents.
Police found a note written by Ramos that said "Death to Lupe" in Spanish, according to court documents.
The second-degree murder charge states that Medina killed Ramos while believing her actions were justified, but that belief was "unreasonable."
Patton wouldn't say whether authorities believe Ramos was the initial aggressor or comment on the specific reasoning behind the new charge.
But she did say a review of the case by prosecutors determined that charging Medina with first-degree murder wouldn't have been appropriate. First-degree murder cases typically involve deaths in which fatal injuries were inflicted by a killer who had no basis for believing his or her actions were justified.
Medina's attorney, Tracy Smith, said he doesn't yet know enough about the case to comment on a possible defense or Medina's version of the incident.
Ramos, 30, of Guatemala was disabled by polio. He used a wheelchair and only had the use of one hand at the time of the struggle, Patton said.
Patton said Medina showed up at a home seeking refuge the night of Ramos' death. She had cuts on her hand and side, and claimed she'd been attacked by another person in the street, Patton said.
The people Medina was staying with heard about Ramos' death and called police because they thought Medina -- who was about to take a bus to St. Louis -- might have been involved, Patton said.
Medina was located and questioned. According to court records, she gave police the following account:
She initially said Ramos stabbed her but she escaped and left him alive, while a man entered the apartment. She later admitted she was lying about the other man.
She then said Ramos stabbed her in the shower after she told him she was going to leave him. She said Ramos threatened to kill her, but she grabbed the knife away. She said she was examining her wounds when Ramos tried to regain the knife and threatened to kill her.
Medina said she stabbed Ramos in the head and neck but couldn't remember how many wounds she inflicted. She said she was frightened because Ramos had previously abused her and threatened to kill her.
Medina also apologized to police for lying, saying she was worried about her two children in Honduras, according to court records.
Medina has a pending federal immigration case in which she's accused of illegally entering the country.
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/update6173.html
BLOOMINGTON -- A Bloomington woman was charged today with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of her disabled boyfriend, whom she claims instigated the incident by attacking her.
McLean County Circuit Judge Scott Drazewski ordered Guadelupe Medina jailed in lieu of $25,000. Prosecutors dismissed a previously filed felony count of obstruction of justice, for which she had been in custody.
Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Patton said Medina stabbed Alberto Ramos 42 times during the May 26 incident at Ramos' apartment in the 1200 block of Orchard Road. He suffered wounds to the head, neck and upper torso.
Medina, a 30-year-old native of Honduras, reportedly told investigators that Ramos attacked her with a knife while she was in the bathroom. She claimed a struggle ensued in which she wrested the knife from Ramos and stabbed him, according to court documents.
Police found a note written by Ramos that said "Death to Lupe" in Spanish, according to court documents.
The second-degree murder charge states that Medina killed Ramos while believing her actions were justified, but that belief was "unreasonable."
Patton wouldn't say whether authorities believe Ramos was the initial aggressor or comment on the specific reasoning behind the new charge.
But she did say a review of the case by prosecutors determined that charging Medina with first-degree murder wouldn't have been appropriate. First-degree murder cases typically involve deaths in which fatal injuries were inflicted by a killer who had no basis for believing his or her actions were justified.
Medina's attorney, Tracy Smith, said he doesn't yet know enough about the case to comment on a possible defense or Medina's version of the incident.
Ramos, 30, of Guatemala was disabled by polio. He used a wheelchair and only had the use of one hand at the time of the struggle, Patton said.
Patton said Medina showed up at a home seeking refuge the night of Ramos' death. She had cuts on her hand and side, and claimed she'd been attacked by another person in the street, Patton said.
The people Medina was staying with heard about Ramos' death and called police because they thought Medina -- who was about to take a bus to St. Louis -- might have been involved, Patton said.
Medina was located and questioned. According to court records, she gave police the following account:
She initially said Ramos stabbed her but she escaped and left him alive, while a man entered the apartment. She later admitted she was lying about the other man.
She then said Ramos stabbed her in the shower after she told him she was going to leave him. She said Ramos threatened to kill her, but she grabbed the knife away. She said she was examining her wounds when Ramos tried to regain the knife and threatened to kill her.
Medina said she stabbed Ramos in the head and neck but couldn't remember how many wounds she inflicted. She said she was frightened because Ramos had previously abused her and threatened to kill her.
Medina also apologized to police for lying, saying she was worried about her two children in Honduras, according to court records.
Medina has a pending federal immigration case in which she's accused of illegally entering the country.
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/update6173.html