California woman accused of killing trans son-in-law puts blame on husband in new docs: reports
Shili Chen, who is accused alongside her husband of killing her son-in-law Jonathan McKinsey, says in a new bail filing that her husband planned and fired the fatal shots. Her lawyers argue she did not know about the plan and only got out of the car because she feared her husband was being assaulted; the case matters because both defendants are seeking release before trial.
Chen, 77, and Shouyong Zhang were arrested after McKinsey, 40, was shot at a crowded park in Dublin, California, on 26 September. Prosecutors say witnesses and surveillance footage show the couple firing together, and allege they waited for McKinsey; Chen’s lawyers say there is insufficient evidence for that claim and argue she fired only after he was dead. The killing took place amid a bitter divorce and child custody dispute between McKinsey and the couple’s daughter, with competing allegations of domestic violence and child abuse.
In short
- Chen blames her husband for planning and firing the fatal shots.
- Both defendants are seeking pretrial release.
- The shooting followed a bitter divorce and custody dispute.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The case for Chen’s release is that her account, if supported by the evidence, would distinguish her conduct and knowledge from her husband’s: she says she did not know of a plan and left the car because she feared he was under attack. Her lawyers also dispute the prosecution’s claim that the couple waited for McKinsey and argue that the evidence does not establish her role as alleged; those questions can be tested at trial.
The case against
The case against releasing Chen is that prosecutors say witnesses and surveillance footage show both defendants firing, and allege they waited for McKinsey. If that evidence supports the prosecution’s account, it could indicate a planned killing and a serious risk that release would undermine public safety or the proceedings; the competing accounts and each defendant’s role remain to be resolved in court.
Explained simply
Jonathan McKinsey was a 40-year-old transgender man involved in a bitter divorce and child custody dispute with his wife, the daughter of Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang. The dispute included allegations of domestic violence and child abuse, which have not been resolved in court.
Chen and Zhang were arrested after McKinsey was shot at a crowded park in Dublin, California, in September. Prosecutors allege both took part in the killing, while Chen’s lawyers dispute that account. The case concerns what happened at the park and whether the defendants should be held in custody before trial.