When clowning and taunting goes bad

American Zombie Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:17 pm

FONTANA - A Rialto woman has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly slicing a man's throat for trash-talking while he watched a pick-up basketball game.
Nicole Renee Roberson, 38, allegedly attacked the 24-year-old victim with a box cutter Aug. 22 after he persisted in trash-talking at Seville Park in Fontana despite repeated demands to stop.

Roberson pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in Fontana Superior Court following her Dec. 16 arrest in connection with the incident.

She remained jailed in lieu of $1.2 million bail last week at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Roberson could face a prison sentence of 16 years to life if convicted on all charges. She is next due in court Monday.

The alleged victim told police after the stabbing that he and Roberson were friends, and they had developed a relationship where they often jokingly argued with each other, according to investigative reports attached to Roberson's court file.

The day of the stabbing, the victim and Roberson were socializing and drinking alcohol at a friend's apartment near Seville Park, the alleged victim told police.

The victim told police he was "playing and talking trash" with Roberson, and he persisted despite her demands to stop because he believed she was playing along.

The victim told police he hit Roberson lightly on the shoulder in a playful manner, and she pulled put a box cutter and threatened to cut him

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if he didn't stop.
"(The victim) stated that he laughed and told her to stop and put the razor away," wrote Fontana police Detective Cliff Ohler.

Three or four hours later, the victim said he went to Seville Park at Juniper and Seville avenues, and he saw a group of kids playing basketball.

Witnesses told police the alleged victim continually taunted the kids, ridiculing their basketball skills and telling them to stop playing. Roberson was also in the park when the alleged victim began taunting the kids, and she told him to stop, witnesses told police.

"An argument ensued as (the victim) tried to explain that he was only playing and told (Roberson) to mind her own business," Ohler wrote. "(The victim) stated he turned to walk away from (Roberson) and she cut his throat with a box cutter."

When police arrived at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center that evening to interview the victim, they saw a slash wound that began at the front of his throat and ended on the left side of his neck near his ear