Tucson father takes stand in his own defense in manslaughter trial

By Barbara Grijalva KOLD NEWS 13

TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) - A Tucson man has testified in his own defense in his manslaughter trial.

This is the fourth trial for Daniel Renteria.

He's charged with manslaughter in the March 2010 deaths of James Marschinke and Richard Rue, Jr.

As Renteria sat on the stand, his attorney, Natasha Wrae, had him methodically go through the events that led up to the killings.

Renteria testified the he suspected Marschinke had repeatedly raped Renteria's three-year-old son.

He described a phone call from Rue in which, he said, Rue threatened to kill Renteria and his son if they told anyone.

Renteria said he had a gun when he went to confront the men and tell them to leave his family alone, but that they approached him in his car.

"They became close to the window and it was just too much. I think by instinct I just reacted, and I opened fire. And I shot James Marschinke in the chest, and Richard Rue was right behind him. And he kind of turned out of the way and that's when he was wounded in the back. I think at that moment I must have...I think I freaking lost it.  I had no control over how I felt at that moment," Renteria testified. 

Renteria would get out of his car and fire several more times.

Both Rue and Marschinke had multiple gunshot wounds.

Renteria did not take the stand in his first two trials.

He did during his third, and now his fourth. 

The juries deadlocked in the first three trials.

 

[2011-08-20]