Chen Says Husband Fired Fatal Shots in Dublin Killing

Chen, 77, and Zhang, also 77, are charged in the September 26 killing of McKinsey, Chen’s son-in-law. Her lawyer, Curtis Briggs, says Zhang directed her to drive to Dublin Sports Grounds and told her to bring a gun for what she understood would be a trip to a shooting range. The defense says Zhang had focused increasingly on McKinsey and kept Chen unaware of plans to shoot him.

The filing says Zhang got out of their car and fired at McKinsey before Chen left the vehicle. Briggs argues that Chen initially believed her husband was being attacked, but acknowledges that she later fired at McKinsey. The defense says Zhang continued shooting and that Chen should not face a special circumstance of lying in wait, which has been cited in keeping the couple jailed without bail.

Prosecutors and witnesses have described the couple as shooting together. Police said three witnesses identified them as the shooters, and surveillance video allegedly showed both firing. The defense filing says Zhang appeared to have advanced dementia. It also describes photos of McKinsey found in the couple’s bedroom, some marked around areas where he was later shot; the filing does not identify who made the marks.

Briggs is seeking Chen’s release before trial, citing her health and proposing home detention with GPS monitoring at her daughter’s residence. He argues that detention at Santa Rita Jail could seriously endanger her. A bail hearing is scheduled for November 4. Zhang is also seeking pretrial release through a separate filing.