A MAN accused of shooting his wife and posting a picture of her dead body on Facebook is defending a murder charge in court.
Graphic footage of an argument Derek Medina had with his wife Jennifer Alfonso in the moments before her death has been shown to a jury in a Florida court this week.
It is understood the footage came from an elaborate home security system.
The video shows the pair arguing in the kitchen of their South Florida home in August 2013.
Medina is seen entering the kitchen while Ms Alfsonso washes dishes. It is believed the couple argue at this point, and Medina exits the kitchen, returns, then a flurry of gun powder swirls in the air. The couple are off-camera when the shooting occurs.
Medina is then seen exiting the kitchen, but returns with what appears to be a mobile phone.
A picture of his wife’s dead body was posted on his Facebook account that day, alongside a message indicating he had killed his wife.
“RIP Jennifer Alfonso.”
Another message about her death also appeared on his page that day.
“I’m going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife. Love you guys, miss you guys, take care, Facebook people 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 you understand me.”
The image and post sent shockwaves across the world and Mr Medina was swiftly incarcerated — held in the psychiatric ward of Miami-Dade County Jail on suicide watch.
He is now on trial defending the murder charge, arguing the couple were fighting before his wife died, and he killed her in self defence.
If he is convicted of first degree murder he will likely face life in prison.
After appearing in the footage with the mobile phone, the CCTV then captures Medina in a change of outfit, before showing him leaving the apartment.
It is alleged he then drove to his family home and told his father, Derek Medina Sr, that he killed his wife.
At the time, Medina Sr spoke to news channel WSVN.
“My son basically said that his wife picked up a knife, and they had a big fight, and he shot her.”
“And all he said was, ‘I need to go to the police I’m still in shock. Just in shock right now’,” he said.
At the time, neighbours told WSVN they heard screams, “Kind of like a desperate person, and there was just a lot of yelling”.
They said of Mr Medina: “He was very odd. So, when we saw the news I wasn’t completely surprised because I always thought he was a little unstable. She [Alfonso], in my opinion, behaved as someone who was maybe a little afraid of her husband.”
Mr Medina claims he shot his wife in self defence, alleging in a video statement to police he was a victim of domestic abuse; telling authorities his wife abused him and had been hitting and pushing him forcefully before the shooting. He claimed at the time of the shooting, Ms Alfonso came at him with a knife but he was able to disarm her. He grabbed the gun and shot her.
“Is Jennifer seen attacking Derek as he went upstairs to retrieve the firearm he would eventually use to shoot her dead?” Prosecutor J Scott Dunn asked lead Miami-Dade police Detective Jonathan Grossman.
“No,” Grossman answered.
In the footage, there were no indications Ms Alfonso was physical with her husband before he gunned her down in their kitchen. Police photos were introduced to evidence showing no signs of scratches, bruising or cuts on Mr Medina’s body.
“Did you observe any obvious signs of injury to Mr Medina?” Mr Dunn asked South Miami police Detective Matt Taylor, who drove Medina to the Miami-Dade Police Department for questioning shortly after the killing.
“No,” Taylor replied.
But Medina’s defence introduced footage from other surveillance cameras within the home.
The defence used new, unseen footage of the couple fighting by a sliding door in June 2012, more than a year before the shooting, in an attempt to prove Ms Alfonso was physically abusive towards her husband.
“The video shows her striking him first, correct?” Defence lawyer Saam Zangeneh asked Detective Elvis Abreu, a digital forensic investigator from the Miami-Dade police in Florida.
“Let me ask you it this way, is my client able to keep her in the house?” Zangeneh asked.
“No,” Abreu said.
But prosecutors have thrown holes in the defence’s argument, questioning why Mr Medina gave police unsubstantiated information about his “crackhead” wife.
“So, within a span of about 45 seconds, Mr Medina called his dead wife a pill-popping, pot-smoking, crackhead alcoholic, unfit mother, basically, right?” Mr Dunn asked.
“Yes,” Grossman answered.
“Right, and, of course, Jennifer wasn’t here to defend herself for this, was she?” Dunn asked.
“No, she was not,” Grossman replied.
“So he volunteers things that he thought would help himself, essentially, correct?” Dunn asked.
Mr Medina faces life in prison if a jury convicts him of first-degree murder. He also faces charges of illegal discharge of a weapon and child neglect, as Ms Alfonso’s 10-year-old daughter was home at the time. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
— youngma@news.com.au
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