Adams was so confident that prosecutors didn’t prove his client wanted to murder Borton that Adams called no witnesses, saying that the testimony of his character witnesses would be “irrelevant.”
In his closing statement, Adams told jurors if they had any doubt about prosecutors’ argument that Du wanted to murder Thuy Mai and Borton, they should acquit him. Questions, he said, “that equals not guilty. That’s what it means.”
Instead, jurors believed Assistant Prosecutors Cheri Stout and David Hayes, who said Du “hunted” Mai and Borton and wanted to “dispatch” them.
After trying to talk with Mai in the basement of the library, Du followed the couple into the parking lot and then slit Mai’s throat and stabbed her repeatedly. When Borton came to her aid, Du slashed his face and then stabbed him twice.
Both victims took the stand and vividly described the attack that left them with permanent scars.
Moments before the trial began March 15, Du pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder for trying to kill Mai. Adams equated the decision with Du taking responsibility for attacking Mai. He wouldn’t agree to the charge concerning Borton, Adams said, because he had no intention of killing him.
Adams said he doesn’t regret his strategy and plans to appeal. Du, 39, will be sentenced for both counts March 26. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
Du fled after the attack and lived in hiding for 12 years before being caught in a Toronto suburb, where he was managing a cellular phone store under a fake name.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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