Chinese-American woman accused of killing trans son-in-law blames husband in new filings
Shili Chen, charged with the September shooting death of Jonathan McKinsey in Dublin, California, says in new court filings that her husband fired the fatal shots while she remained in the car.
Shili Chen, 77, the California woman accused of helping kill her transgender son-in-law, is now placing the blame on her husband. In new bail filings, her lawyers claim she watched Shouyong Zhang fire the fatal shots at Jonathan McKinsey from inside her car, and that she only stepped out to protect him from what she feared was an assault by McKinsey. The couple was arrested on Sept. 26 in connection with the shooting, which took place in a crowded park in Dublin, California.
McKinsey, 40, a New York Times executive, was shot at the Dublin Sports Grounds, where several 911 callers reported gunfire. A Dublin Police Services sergeant arrived to find him lying face up with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses pointed police toward a black Honda Civic leaving the parking lot, prompting officers to conduct a high-risk traffic stop nearby. Chen was driving and allegedly had a firearm in her possession when she was detained, while Zhang sat in the passenger seat.
Chen's lawyer, Curtis Briggs, argues that his client was kept « in the dark » while Zhang planned the killing, and that there is not enough evidence to show she was « lying in wait » at the park. He also contends she was not the « actual killer » because she fired after McKinsey was already dead. Prosecutors, however, allege that the couple opened fire « in concert », and that surveillance video captured Chen shooting at McKinsey after Zhang's shots. Three witnesses identified the pair as the shooters, according to the filings.
Police said the couple fired in a parking lot with « blatant disregard for public safety » even as several children were nearby. Officers later searched the Honda and recovered a second firearm, which Zhang allegedly admitted using. The complaint alleges the killing involved « great violence » and a « high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness », and prosecutors allege both defendants were armed or used a weapon. That special circumstance has been used to hold the couple without bail.
Both Chen and Zhang are asking for pretrial release. In a separate filing, Zhang's public defender argued he poses no threat because of his age and health, and described the shooting as an isolated family incident.
The killing came amid a bitter divorce and custody battle between McKinsey and Chen and Zhang's daughter, Candice Jang. McKinsey accused Chen of directing anti-LGBTQ slurs at him and one of his children, and alleged that Zhang struck him in the chest while he was recovering from double mastectomy surgery, The Mercury News reported. Jang made competing allegations of domestic violence and child abuse against McKinsey, which he disputed. Court dockets show the two were locked in multiple legal battles at the time of his death, including competing domestic violence restraining order cases, a child custody dispute and a pending divorce. The competing domestic violence matters were headed toward a three-day hearing in December.
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