Attorneys made opening statements Wednesday in a trial for a man charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
The jury trial for Jose Miguel Fuentes-Trinidad, 29, began Tuesday in Riley 69传媒 District Court. He faces charges of aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, aggravated residential burglary, two counts of criminal threat against different victims, criminal deprivation of property and two counts of domestic battery 69传媒 which Fuentes-Trinidad has been convicted of two or more times in the past five years.
Assistant Riley 69传媒 attorney Michael Blackburn told the jury that during an altercation on Jan. 23, 2024, Fuentes-Trinidad beat a woman known to him. He then took the victim69传媒檚 car keys and forced her and her son to ride around in his car until the woman admitted to alleged infidelity.
Blackburn said the victim69传媒檚 son stepped in to try and stop Fuentes-Trinidad from beating her in front of the other children in the home, after entering without permission and battering the victim repeatedly. Ultimately, said Blackburn, this case is about power and control.
Fuentes-Trinidad69传媒檚 defense, led by assistant public defender Phil Yau, said arguments did get physical between the victim and the defendant. Yau said the defendant and victims willingly took a drive, in order to have the argument in private.
The defense asked the jury to find there was no evidence for the counts of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
The trial continues through the week in Riley 69传媒 District Court.
The Mercury is not publishing the victims69传媒 names because of the nature of the alleged crimes.
