A Sunrise man who allegedly murdered his girlfriend and mutilated her body after authorities said she called out the name of her ex-husband during sex took the stand a hearing Thursday.
Fidel Lopez spent more than an hour testifying at the hearing, where he tried to get his statement made to police from being used in his trial.
A judge later denied his motion to suppress the statement.
Lopez, 25, was charged last September with first-degree murder in the killing of 31-year-old Maria Nemeth. He's pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond as he awaits trial.
Police said Lopez told officers he became enraged and turned into a "monster" when he killed Nemeth. But defense attorneys claim Lopez didn't understand his right to remain silent or his Miranda rights when read to him in English.
Lopez spoke in English in a 911 call and a police interrogation video obtained by NBC 6, but spoke through an interpreter at Thursday's hearing.
"Yes, Mr. Lopez speaks English, he does not understand 100 percent of everything English, especially in the legalese aspect," defense attorney Gabriel Ermine said.
Local
"Mr. Lopez made a knowing and voluntary waiver of his rights, he told you he did on video and he told you he did on the stand," prosecutor Tom Coleman said.
The judge ultimately agreed with the prosecutor.
"The Miranda warnings were given in a slow manner making sure that the defendant understood, by a detective that was not in any rush," Judge Ilona Holmes said. "Nobody was threatening him, him being Mr. Lopez, nobody was promising him anything."
