He was accused of the brutal assault of his 16 year old girlfriend - cutting her up so badly that he left the teenager paralyzed and this afternoon the majority of a nine member jury voted to convict 21-year-old Abdiel Sandoval of attempted murder. Sandoval was accused of assaulting his girlfriend Tracy Donis. The jury deliberated for three hours before returning with 8 to 1 vote in favor of a conviction. 7NEWS was there when this afternoon's verdict was read.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon the newly convicted Abdiel Sandoval was escorted out of Supreme Court number 3 in handcuffs. He was without emotion and showed even what looked to be a hint of defiance. And while Sandoval was unemotional, Glenda Donis, the mother of the girl he is convicted of trying to kill was teary-eyed.
Glenda Donis, Mother of Victim
"I thank God. Justice has been done because the way how my daughter is, her life is finished right here."
Keith Swift,
You got justice today?
Glenda Donis,
"Yes, I am glad for that."
Glenda Donis says she got justice against Sandoval who paralyzed her daughter in September of 2005. Then only 16, Tracy Donis told us from her hospital bed what she endured.
[September 5th, 2005]
Teen Girl,
"He asked me to take a walk up the hill so we went to take a walk and then I told him I didn't want anything to do with him. So he just started to strangle me and I told him to stop and I started to cry and then afterwards I told him to please let me go but he didn't want to let go."
The girl says she tried to leave his house and that's when his anger escalated.
Teen Girl,
"He carried me and told me I wasn't going anywhere and that I was going to die right now. So he took me into the bush and he started to choke me. I felt like I could breathe no more and I told him to stop and I will do anything for him to let me go. He went to drink some water and he asked me if I wanted to drink some water. I told him no and so he went inside and my brother in law was talking to me. I told him I wanted to go home and I wanted to cry. So he told me in a quiet voice to go home, and when I was going home that's when he came running outside with a knife and he just cut my neck and he stabbed me in the side, the right hand side, and he stabbed me two times on the back."
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It was two hours of terror for Tracy back then and it's been two years of anguish for her mother Glenda Donis because her daughter is paralyzed for life.
Glenda Donis,
"I think my daughter will feel good now."
Keith Swift,
How has she been doing?
Glenda Donis,
"She is the same way. She is trying right there."
Keith Swift,
But she will never walk?
Glenda Donis,
"She will never walk again. I thank God."
We should note that Abdiel Sandoval's mom was also emotional after the verdict. She sobbed loudly in court after the verdict was read and later told us that the jury made a mistake. Sandoval, who took the stand in his own defense, was represented by David Morales. The crown counsel was Douglas Carr. Sandoval faces a sentence of up to life in prison and will be sentenced by Justice Adolph Lucas on August 2nd.
