Natalyn Tart-Jones expected an ordinary day May 1 after receiving a restraining order against her estranged husband only a few days earlier.
Instead, he was waiting for her outside her Columbia home with a machete, authorities said.
“It turned into a day that can only be described as something out of a horror movie,” prosecutor Susan Weinstein said Wednesday during opening arguments in Howard County Circuit Court in the trial of Frederick Jones, who is charged with first-degree attempted murder in his wife?s stabbing.
But Frederick Jones purposefully stopped short of murdering her, making the attempted murder charge inappropriate, said his lawyer, Lou Willimen.
“There is no question that Frederick Jones seriously injured his wife,” Willimen said. “But he didn?t intend to kill her.”
Jones stuck his estranged wife multiple times with the blade, causing deep cuts to her face, a fractured skull and serious damage to both hands, police said.
“He pulled out a weapon and raised it up and brought it down on her head,” Weinstein told the jury.
Growing domestic violence in Howard County is a large concern of acting Police Chief William McMahon, who recently announced that the department will launch a new domestic violence unit to combat the problem.
Incidents of domestic violence have increased in Howard County from 665 in 2001 to 804 in 2005.
The new team will specialize in domestic violence cases, help victims obtain protective orders and develop a tracking system for repeat offenders.
Jones? trial is expected to continue today.
Domestic violence offenses in Howard
» 2005: 804
» 2004: 753
» 2003: 675
» 2002: 676
» 2001: 665
