Murder
she wrote!
JoCo Murder or Self Defense?
Josephine County, Oregon - She allegedly did the deed
with a hammer. Wendy Maldonado, 35, stands accused of murdering her
husband Aaron Maldonado, 36. Is this an open and shut case of murder?
Or are there other ingredients in this mix that mitigate the circumstances
of Aaron's death.
The Observer has received information that Wendy and others were abused
at the hands of Aaron Maldonado. So, what if it can be shown that Aaron
practiced consistent violence upon his wife of 18 years and she lived
in abject terror of being mentally and physically abused.
If this proves to be the case then the term murder slips away and the
term self-defense comes in play. Using deadly force to defend your life
in Oregon is a legitimate response to a physical attack. If Wendy Maldonado
was in fear of her life then she had a legal and justifiable right to
use a hammer to protect and extend her own life against any aggressor.
That includes a husband, family member, or stranger.
Josephine County District Attorney Stephen Campbell must consider these
facts very carefully and not be seduced by the opportunity to gain fame
and public exposure at the expense of Wendy Maldonado. Prosecutors have
been known to do this. The grand jury and District Attorney Stephen
Campbell need to approach this case with common sense and realize the
public will not be favorable to incarcerating a long term abused women,
if in fact she was abused, at $28,500 a year in an Oregon penal institution
for an act of possible self-defense.