"Ryan McLaughlin, a deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, implored the jury to find Coleman guilty of first degree murder for both counts on the basis that Coleman exhibited intent, premeditation and deliberation. In his arguments, he pointed to increasing tensions between the couple in the days leading up to Castle's death and the thousands, if not tens of thousands, of decisions Mr. Coleman made before fatally strangling her."
"McLaughlin argued that Castle, who was 5'4 and eight months pregnant, would have been no physical match for Coleman, who at the time was 5'9, 230 pounds and a trained boxer. He maintained that Castle's death by asphyxiation, which takes about a minute for brain death, would have required Coleman to double down after she went unconscious and that her physical injuries indicated that Coleman's malice is obvious."
"Jonathan McDougall, Coleman's defense attorney, argued that the charge should be reduced to manslaughter because Coleman was acting in response to Castle lunging at him."
Andrew Coleman, 34, is charged with two counts of murder after allegedly strangling 37-year-old Kirsten Castle, who was eight months pregnant, in 2024 at her San Mateo home. The victim's 10-year-old daughter discovered her mother's body. Prosecution argues Coleman exhibited premeditation and deliberation, pointing to escalating tensions before the killing, the physical disparity between the couple, and that strangulation requiring over 60 seconds indicates intent to kill. Coleman, a trained boxer, allegedly fled to Southern California with the victim's safe containing $37,000. Defense argues the charge should be reduced to manslaughter, claiming Coleman acted in response to Castle lunging at him and that his mental state and excitement about fatherhood preclude premeditation.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]