Judge Denies Bond For Man Charged In Facebook Murder
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A lawyer for the South Miami man accused of killing his wife and then posting pictures of her body on Facebook tried to convince a judge Tuesday to release his client on bail before the trial--but the judge denied his request.
Derek Medina, 31, told police he killed his wife, Jennifer Alfonso, on Aug. 8th in self-defense.
The photo posted on Facebook showed Alfonso, 26, on her knees with her torso bent back on the kitchen floor.
It was posted along with the following statement that appeared to be a confession by Medina: "I'm going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife. Love you guys. Miss you guys. Take care. Facebook people you'll see me in the news… my wife was punching me and I'm not going to stand anymore with the abuse so I did what I did. Hope u understand me."
After the shooting, Medina went to the South Miami Police Department and told them he had shot his wife.
In Tuesday's hearing, Judge Yvonne Colodny ruled that there is "proof positive and presumption great" that Medina committed the crime of murder, therefore, she denied bond.
In the hearing Tuesday, lead homicide detective Jonathan Grossman of Miami-Dade Police Department has testified about Medina's statement to police. He recounted how Medina admitted to killing his wife after she threw towels, mascara containers and shoes at him, and hit him with her fists during the marital spat.
"Do you consider towels and mascara deadly weapons," asked prosecutor Scott Dunn.
"No, Sir," the detective replied.
Grossman spoke specifically of Medina's Facebook posting. "He indicated that he did take a photograph," Grossman said. "He advised us that he posted it on Facebook."
In what could be described as a round house blow to the defense, the detective countered Medina's claim that he shot his wife in self-defense as she hit him with her hands. Medina, it turns out, is quite the pugilist, a fighter.
"Mr. Medina advised that he was an amateur boxer and had a record of 25–0," the detective testified.
At one point during the detective's testimony, a supporter of the defendant shouted out, disputing the police officer's description of the layout of the couple's home.
Judge the Yvonne Colodny cautioned the unidentified man and others in the court room gallery.
"I understand that this is an emotional case that involves a lot of emotional issues," the judge said. "But I ask that there be no outbursts, please."
In the statement to investigators, after the incident, Medina said he shot Alfonso because she threatened him with a knife and wouldn't stop hitting him. He said it started with an argument in the bedroom and then moved to the kitchen.
WEBEXTRA: Part 1 of Derek Medina's statement to Miami-Dade Police
WEBEXTRA: Part 2 of Derek Medina's statement to Miami-Dade Police
WEBEXTRA: Part 3 of Derek Medina's statement to Miami-Dade Police
According to Medina's statement to investigators, as couple argued Alfonso began punching him again. Medina stated he went upstairs, got his gun and then went back to the kitchen where he found Alfonso holding a knife. Medina said she threatened him.
"She said you're not going to kill me, at first. Then she says I'm going to kill you, you know, you pulling that gun on me."
Medina said he grabbed the knife out of her hand and put it in a drawer.
"She kept punching me like crazy again and then I fired," Medina told Grossman.
Medina explained.
"She just started throwing punches like crazy. She was like really attacking me. Like I was getting out of the way and got hit in the arm and she was like going for my temple. I felt like she was, you know, she was trying just to take me out. She head butt me. And then also she does make threats upstairs about me dying and she hopes I die, and that she'll get someone to kill me, whatever it is. And she did make those threats upstairs."
During the hearing, Miami-Dade Detective Jonathan Grossman told the judge that forensic evidence indicates Alfonso was on her knees with one arm raised in front of her before she was shot.
Medina said after the shooting, he went upstairs, put the gun in a closet and then told his stepdaughter to stay there, close her door and don't come down stairs. He said he then went downstairs and took a picture of Alfonso's body and locked the door.
When asked why he took the picture and posted it on Facebook, Medina replied to help his stepdaughter.
"So the family would know and be notified and they could rush over there and get my stepdaughter."
When asked why he turned himself in at the police department after the shooting, Medina replied "Cause I'm not a killer. And it was self-defense. I'm very, I honor my country, I honor my state, I honor my city of South Miami. I do not feel that I'm guilty. This was self-defense."
Medina has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm.
