The lawyer for a California physician who accused his dermatologist wife of poisoning him with Drano by putting it in his lemonade dismissed his charges as “absolutely ludicrous and incorrect.”
Yue ‘Emily’ Yu’s lawyer, David Wohl, said that her husband, Jack Chen, 53, was ‘desperate to have grounds to get custody of the children’ after his client was captured with a drain cleaner on a nanny cam in their $2.7 million house.
According to the lawyer, the wife, 45, was putting the chemical into an empty cup to avoid spillage. It was then used to clear their kitchen drains. Chen, on the other hand, claims that the hazardous material was put into his hot lemonade by his ‘abusive’ wife, with whom he had been married for ten years.
‘The notion that my client, a 45-year-old well-respected doctor in Orange County, would ruin her life, harm the lives of her children, and attempt to murder her spouse is simply ludicrous and wrong – and libelous,’ Wohl added.
According to Chen’s lawyer, Steven Hittelman, Chen told investigators he detected a chemical taste in his lemonade and had been unwell for months. According to CBS News, he was subsequently diagnosed with stomach ulcers, gastritis, and esophageal irritation. Wohl said that he had no idea how or whether Chen ingested Drano.
‘We do know that he was anxious to file for divorce,’ Wohl added. ‘He was desperate for excuses to get custody of the kids.’ We feel that the accusations he made are all part of that campaign.’
Previously, Hittelman told DailyMail.com that the first time he talked with Chen was after July 18, when Chen informed him that his wife attempted to poison him and offered him video proof.
Hittelman characterized Yu as “extremely systematic” after seeing the footage, and said it was “really disturbing to actually witness it.”
‘It is quite personal to commit murder knowing her husband’s tendencies and preferences and flawlessly introducing poison into his routine,’ he said.
According to Chen’s attorneys, he recorded three films showing Yu pouring Drano into his beverages.
Wohl argued, ‘Anytime she poured Drano into a cup, it was absolutely empty.’ ‘It was for ease of use in the sink or any other portion of the home when the drainage was obstructed.’
Chen also accuses Yu of being abusive.
Yu had been issued with divorce papers and a domestic violence restraining order prior to her arrest.
‘I got worried about Emily’s conduct after the children were born. She was not just demanding that I give her massages, but when I couldn’t because I was unwell, she walked on my head until I did,’ according to court filings.
The couple’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 18 to see if the restraining order will be granted by the court for up to five years, according to Hittelman. He said that the youngsters quickly understood that ‘Emily’s rule is everything.’
‘If you could call Emily’s parenting that, it centres around shouting, insulting, verbally abusing, punching, shoving, dragging, and being emotionally abusive,’ he added.
Chen alleges Yu mistreated their two children physically and verbally, and that she shouted at them to ‘go die.’
Yu has been suspended from work after securing a $30,000 bail. As of August 10, she had not been charged.
Kimberly Edds, public relations officer for the Orange County District Attorney’s office, informed DailyMail.com that Yu’s arraignment is scheduled for November 3.
The court appearance is predicated only on the accusation of poisoning, not domestic violence.
‘We have no charges filed against Ms. Yu,’ Ebbs said, adding that Orange County prosecutors are analyzing the material to determine whether there are enough facts to pursue criminal charges against her. She will then enter a guilty or not guilty plea.’