(03-05) 16:20 PST SAN JOSE -- A San Jose woman who watched as her boyfriend allegedly beat and stomped her 6-year-old son to death was sentenced today to a year in county jail after the defense argued she had been forced into submission by months of physical and emotional abuse.
Kathryn Jimenez, 38, was a devout churchgoer who led a largely sheltered life, and was "absolutely helpless to resist" the domination and abuse of Samuel Corona, deputy public defender Ken Mandel said after Jimenez was sentenced in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Judge Jerome Nadler also sentenced Jimenez to five years' probation. With credit for time already served since her arrest, Jimenez will probably be released in a few months, her attorney said.
Prosecutors had argued for five years and four months in prison, saying Jimenez should be held responsible for her role in the death of her son, Oscar Jimenez Jr.
"The fact that Samuel Corona is ultimately responsible for the torture and murder of Oscar Jr. does not absolve Kathryn Jimenez or her actions or inactions," prosecutor Jeff Rosen said. "We believe five years and four months was a fair an appropriate sentence for what she did and what she didn't do."
Jimenez faced up to seven years in prison after pleading guilty in October to being an accessory to murder and other charges. Corona, whose criminal record includes convictions for aggravated assault, robbery and burglary, is in jail awaiting trial for murder.
Mandel said Corona, 34, had wooed Jimenez with charm and quoted scripture before essentially taking her and her son hostage.
"There were a couple of instances where she offered mild physical resistance and then was beaten severely," Mandel said. "Finally, her defense was simply to try to appease him. Whether that was subconscious or conscious is hard to say. It's a tactic taken by women in extreme cases of domestic violence."
The young boy's death came to light only after the boy's father contacted authorities to complain that Jimenez was not allowing him to visit his son.
During a court hearing Aug. 30 in San Jose on the visitation dispute, Jimenez admitted that her son was dead, police said.
Jimenez later led investigators to her son's body, which had been buried under concrete in the backyard of a rented Phoenix townhome, authorities said.
Investigators believe the boy was killed Feb. 18, 2007, at the couple's home on Hayes Avenue in San Jose. Corona told Jimenez that Oscar had threatened to hurt Corona's 1-year-old son, police said.
Corona then told Jimenez, "Say goodbye to your son," and beat the boy to death, police said.
After burying the body, the couple drove around the country, which Mandel described as "being held hostage."
Jimenez was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the visitation dispute after persuading Corona to return to California so she could renew her driver's license, Mandel said.
"She was hoping to get arrested," her attorney said. "No one knew about the boy at that point."
Kathryn Jimenez, 38, was a devout churchgoer who led a largely sheltered life, and was "absolutely helpless to resist" the domination and abuse of Samuel Corona, deputy public defender Ken Mandel said after Jimenez was sentenced in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Judge Jerome Nadler also sentenced Jimenez to five years' probation. With credit for time already served since her arrest, Jimenez will probably be released in a few months, her attorney said.
Prosecutors had argued for five years and four months in prison, saying Jimenez should be held responsible for her role in the death of her son, Oscar Jimenez Jr.
"The fact that Samuel Corona is ultimately responsible for the torture and murder of Oscar Jr. does not absolve Kathryn Jimenez or her actions or inactions," prosecutor Jeff Rosen said. "We believe five years and four months was a fair an appropriate sentence for what she did and what she didn't do."
Jimenez faced up to seven years in prison after pleading guilty in October to being an accessory to murder and other charges. Corona, whose criminal record includes convictions for aggravated assault, robbery and burglary, is in jail awaiting trial for murder.
Mandel said Corona, 34, had wooed Jimenez with charm and quoted scripture before essentially taking her and her son hostage.
"There were a couple of instances where she offered mild physical resistance and then was beaten severely," Mandel said. "Finally, her defense was simply to try to appease him. Whether that was subconscious or conscious is hard to say. It's a tactic taken by women in extreme cases of domestic violence."
The young boy's death came to light only after the boy's father contacted authorities to complain that Jimenez was not allowing him to visit his son.
During a court hearing Aug. 30 in San Jose on the visitation dispute, Jimenez admitted that her son was dead, police said.
Jimenez later led investigators to her son's body, which had been buried under concrete in the backyard of a rented Phoenix townhome, authorities said.
Investigators believe the boy was killed Feb. 18, 2007, at the couple's home on Hayes Avenue in San Jose. Corona told Jimenez that Oscar had threatened to hurt Corona's 1-year-old son, police said.
Corona then told Jimenez, "Say goodbye to your son," and beat the boy to death, police said.
After burying the body, the couple drove around the country, which Mandel described as "being held hostage."
Jimenez was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the visitation dispute after persuading Corona to return to California so she could renew her driver's license, Mandel said.
"She was hoping to get arrested," her attorney said. "No one knew about the boy at that point."
