Otay Ranch High School science teacher Angela Burks lived in fear of her then 30-year old son before he killed her, a prosecutor told a jury in the son’s murder trial.
Joseph “Joey” Robert Burks, 31, went on trial May 23 before an eight woman, four man jury in San Diego Superior Court in the July 24, 2017 slaying of his mother in their Claremont home.
Deputy District Attorney Makenzie Harvey told jurors Angela Burks, 58, developed “increasing fear” that her son would harm her and she consulted an attorney about eviction six days before her death.
Angela Burks, who taught students in the Sweetwater Union High School District since 1983, also taught at Southwest Middle and Rancho Del Rey Middle School.
Harvey told jurors she stopped paying for his medical insurance and urged him to find a job and other housing. She offered to pay three months rent in any place her son wanted to live.
“Angela wanted change,” said Harvey. “He was afraid of the change. He rejected the change.”
She was stabbed 17 times and died in her home in the 4300 block of Mount Putman Avenue. Jurors saw gruesome pictures of the scene through a San Diego Police officer’s body worn camera. She was stabbed eight times in her throat and the other wounds were to her face and head, said Harvey.
“I will ask you to find him guilty of murder,” said Harvey.
Burks wore a suit and sported a ponytail but would not look at any of the crime scene photos that were shown on a video screen. Judge Charles Rogers presided over the trial which continues this week.
Harvey mentioned that Joseph Burks had chronic back pain and took a lot of pain medication. Photos displayed in court showed he slept on a bathroom floor with blankets as his bed was covered with miscellaneous debris.
Defense attorney Jeremy Thornton painted a different scenario, noting that in Joseph Burks’ 911 call, he claimed his mother attacked him with a knife.
“Ms. Burks did not like her son. She told him he was a failure. He internalizes his ineffectiveness,” said Thornton. “She was done having him in her home.”
“She lunged through the doorway with a knife in her hand. Joseph defended himself that day,” argued Thornton.
“Mr. Burks killed his mom because he feared for his life,” said Thornton. “He acted in self-defense that day.”
Thornton described his client as “trapped, threatened, and terrified.” He showed photos of his bedroom where “he could keep his mother out.”
Sgt. Jared Wilson was the first officer on the scene around 7:17 p.m. and his body worn video camera showed him handcuffing Joseph Burks outside the home. The photos showed that Joseph Burks had a forehead wound that was bleeding and there was a large scratch on his chest that was about 5-6 inches long.
After Burks called 911, the police dispatcher told him to go outside and keep his hands in the air and wait for police, which he did do.
The victim’s mother, Josephine Van Atta, 84, testified her daughter divorced her husband when Joseph was three years old and raised him as a single parent. He had lived his whole life in the house, and he dropped out of college.
