Pharmacy student convicted in California of killing mother after she urged him to be doctor
By APTuesday, March 23, 2010
Calif. pharmacy student guilty of killing mother
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A California pharmacy student who choked his 71-year-old mother because she nagged him to become a doctor has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
An Orange County jury on Tuesday found Son Nguyen (WIN) guilty of the lesser charge instead of murder in the 2008 death of his mother. He faces up to 11 years in prison.
Prosecutors say the 31-year-old Garden Grove man argued with Nuong Nguyen because he wanted to become a pharmacist. His mother had paid for his schooling and said he would shame the family unless he became a physician.
His attorney, Rob Harley, says the woman was in fragile health and suffered a fatal heart attack after her son, who was schizophrenic, choked her for about six seconds.
Harley told jurors her death was an accident.
