A Florida man accused of killing his wife and then posting photos of her lifeless body on Facebook was convicted of second-degree murder in Miami on 25 November. Derek Medina, who did not testify during his trial, now faces 25 years to life in prison for the murder.
Medina fatally shot his wife, Jennifer Alfonso, during an argument in the South Miami home in 2013. He then proceeded to post photos of her body filled with bullets on Facebook. The 33-year-olds lawyers claimed he killed Alfonso in self defence after she allegedly threatened him with a kitchen knife. According to the Miami Herald, Medina showed no emotion when the verdict was read.
No family should ever have to see their daughter killed and then exhibited worldwide on the Internet like some macabre trophy to a husbands anger as was Jennifer Alfonso, said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. Far, far too often this kind of domestic violence leads to injury and death. The jury carefully viewed all the evidence and came to the correct conclusion that Derek Medina coldly murdered his wife to heal his own injured ego.
Medina reportedly attached a message to the photo of his wife on the social network. Im going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife love you guys miss you guys takecare Facebook people you will see me in the news, he allegedly wrote. According to CNN, the graphic images of Alfonsos body remained online and were passed around for at least five hours. After Facebook was notified, it removed the photo and disabled Medina and Alfonsos pages.
The Miami Herald reported that Medinas attorneys had hoped for an acquittal or a lesser conviction of manslaughter. It has been a hard case, attorney Saam Zangeneh told the paper. While we dont agree with the jurys decision, we respect the fact that they gave the case the attention it deserved. Jurors deliberated for six hours on 24 November through 25 November in the trials third week.
Medinas sentencing is scheduled by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Yvonne Colodny for 11 January. He faces 25 years to life in prison on the second-degree murder conviction. Medina was also convicted of child neglect for leaving his wifes 10-year-old daughter in their home after he murdered her. Prosecutors plan to seek life in prison.
