A Texas cancer doctor who allegedly laced her lover's coffee with poison had "a fatal attraction" to her victim, a prosecutor has said. Dr Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo went on trial on Monday, accused of giving Dr George Blumenschein two cups of tainted coffee last year.
The 43-year-old breast cancer oncologist denies aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against the colleague with whom she was having an affair. "This case is about a woman who was totally obsessed," said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Justin Keiter in opening statements, reports the Houston Chronicle. But Gonzalez-Angulo's lawyer said this was "complete hyperbole".
Dr Blumenschein, who had a long-term girlfriend, was having a casual relationship with the accused when she gave him two cups of tainted coffee on January 27, 2013, according to court documents. After he mentioned his drink tasted unusual, Gonzalez-Angulo allegedly told him it was just sweetener and urged him to carry on drinking. Hours later he began experiencing slurred speech and poor balance.
Dr Blumenschein was taken to an emergency centre, where he was found to have kidney failure, central nervous system depression and cardiopulmonary complications. The lung, head and neck cancer specialist had dialysis and survived. The prosecution says Gonzalez-Angulo spiked the beverage with ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze, because their relationship was turning sour.
The colourless, ordourless chemical was widely available at the University of Texas medical centre where both doctors worked, say prosecutors. But the defence says there is no proof of ethylene glycol being found in Dr Blumenschein's body. On May 30 last year, investigators charged Gonzalez-Angulo with aggravated assault in connection with the alleged poisoning.
INC News, 16/09/2014
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