A Florida man who killed his wife and posted a photo of her dead body on Facebook shot her in self-defense, the man's attorney said in court.
A Florida man who killed his wife and posted a photo of her dead body on Facebook while confessing to the murder shot her in self-defense because lived in fear of her, the man’s attorney said in court.
Defense attorney Saam Zangeneh said in court Monday that Derek Medina, 33, was battered by his wife, 27-year-old Jennifer Alfonso, who he said was an avid user of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, had violent tendencies and was deeply involved in the occult and Satan worship, the Associated Press reported.
Zangeneh said he will seek to introduce evidence to prove his claims on behalf of his client, who has been jailed since his arrest for the August 2013 murder and faces life in prison if convicted.
After shooting Alfonso in their South Miami home, Medina allegedly posted a photo of her corpse on Facebook, admitting in a rambling post that he killed her.
Read: Man Confesses To Murdering Wife, Posts Photo On Facebook
“Im going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife love you miss you guys takecare Facebook people you will see me in the news’ my wife was punching me and I am not going to stand anymore with the abuse so I did what I did I hope u understand me,” Medina wrote on the social media site.
The photo showed Alfonso’s body with her legs folded under her in the kitchen of their South Miami home and was captioned: "RIP Jennifer Alfonso."
Medina later told police that he killed her in self-defense and Zangeneh claimed on Monday his client shot Alfonso after she came after him with a knife, according to reports.
Read: Son Charged in Murders of Parents Was Angry Over Being Disinherited, Cops Say
Prosecutor Scott Dunn urged Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Yvonne Colodny to limit defense use of the allegations involving Alfonso, saying she is the victim and is not on trial, the AP reported.
The prosecution plans to introduce evidence that shows Medina was an accomplished amateur boxer who had little to fear from his physically weaker wife as well as show Medina allegedly told a friend he would kill his wife if she ever tried to leave him, which her friends said was her plan, the newswire wrote.
Jury selection begins Tuesday.
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