*** ATTENTION ***
No guns were used to kill anyone in this story.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8263150
No guns were used to kill anyone in this story.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8263150
Murder conviction for man who cut out girlfriend's tongue, let her bleed to death
Associated Press
Article Launched: 02/14/2008 04:17:16 PM PST
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A jury today convicted a longshoreman of first-degree murder for cutting out his girlfriend's tongue and allowing her to bleed to death.
The jury also found that Frank Robert Mallory, 50, of Long Beach, committed the murder using torture, which makes him eligible for a sentence of life in prison without parole, authorities said.
Jurors deliberated less than two hours before reaching a verdict in the 2005 death of Patricia Dunthorne, 41, who was Mallory's live-in girlfriend.
During the two-week trial, Mallory repeatedly denied having cut out Dunthorne's tongue.
His attorney, Joseph P. Smith, asked the jury for a conviction of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. He argued that Mallory did not intend to kill Dunthorne and may have committed the killing in the heat of passion.
Mallory was arrested at his La Palma home in July 2005. Police found Dunthorne's badly decomposed body in his garage, wrapped in a blanket, after Mallory's brother noticed an odor at the home.
Dunthorne had been dead about six weeks, and her tongue was missing. A coroner testified that she died from a loss of blood caused by the removal of her tongue.
Witnesses testified that Mallory and Dunthorne fought constantly after she moved in even though Mallory bought her a car, put her on his health insurance and paid for her breast enhancement surgery.
Mallory, who testified in his own defense, recalled that he had one final argument with Dunthorne on the night she died. He said she wanted him to buy her a $15,000 watch and she belittled him, nagged him and hit him.
Mallory said he took several painkillers and Dunthorne took prescription drugs and drank a bottle of wine before they went to bed. He testified that he woke up later, walked around the bed and strangled Dunthorne, though he thought she might have already been dead of an overdose.
A sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 11.
Associated Press
Article Launched: 02/14/2008 04:17:16 PM PST
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A jury today convicted a longshoreman of first-degree murder for cutting out his girlfriend's tongue and allowing her to bleed to death.
The jury also found that Frank Robert Mallory, 50, of Long Beach, committed the murder using torture, which makes him eligible for a sentence of life in prison without parole, authorities said.
Jurors deliberated less than two hours before reaching a verdict in the 2005 death of Patricia Dunthorne, 41, who was Mallory's live-in girlfriend.
During the two-week trial, Mallory repeatedly denied having cut out Dunthorne's tongue.
His attorney, Joseph P. Smith, asked the jury for a conviction of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. He argued that Mallory did not intend to kill Dunthorne and may have committed the killing in the heat of passion.
Mallory was arrested at his La Palma home in July 2005. Police found Dunthorne's badly decomposed body in his garage, wrapped in a blanket, after Mallory's brother noticed an odor at the home.
Dunthorne had been dead about six weeks, and her tongue was missing. A coroner testified that she died from a loss of blood caused by the removal of her tongue.
Witnesses testified that Mallory and Dunthorne fought constantly after she moved in even though Mallory bought her a car, put her on his health insurance and paid for her breast enhancement surgery.
Mallory, who testified in his own defense, recalled that he had one final argument with Dunthorne on the night she died. He said she wanted him to buy her a $15,000 watch and she belittled him, nagged him and hit him.
Mallory said he took several painkillers and Dunthorne took prescription drugs and drank a bottle of wine before they went to bed. He testified that he woke up later, walked around the bed and strangled Dunthorne, though he thought she might have already been dead of an overdose.
A sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 11.
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