Insanity plea possible in fetal-abduction case
MILWAUKEE — A lawyer for a Milwaukee woman accused of killing a pregnant woman and cutting out her full-term fetus says the defense will consider using an insanity defense.
Attorney Robert D'Arruda made his comments Wednesday after a pretrial hearing for 33-year-old Annette Morales-Rodriguez. She is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the Oct. 6 slaying of Maritza Ramirez-Cruz and her unborn son.
D'Arruda says he and her two other lawyers will scrutinize the investigation of the slaying and may enter an insanity plea for Morales-Rodriguez at her Nov. 2 arraignment.
Investigators say Morales-Rodriguez was unable to conceive and desperate to give her boyfriend a son. They say she lured the victim to her home, bludgeoned and strangled her, and cut the fetus from her womb.
© 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Attorney Robert D'Arruda made his comments Wednesday after a pretrial hearing for 33-year-old Annette Morales-Rodriguez. She is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the Oct. 6 slaying of Maritza Ramirez-Cruz and her unborn son.
D'Arruda says he and her two other lawyers will scrutinize the investigation of the slaying and may enter an insanity plea for Morales-Rodriguez at her Nov. 2 arraignment.
Investigators say Morales-Rodriguez was unable to conceive and desperate to give her boyfriend a son. They say she lured the victim to her home, bludgeoned and strangled her, and cut the fetus from her womb.
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