Accused Desert Hot Springs Man's Fate In Jury's Hands: COURT

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA — Jury deliberations are slated to begin Monday in the trial of a 30-year-old Desert Hot Springs man accused of trying to kill his father by severely beating him and setting fire to his mobile home as he lay unconscious on the floor.

Miguel Angel Espino is charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated mayhem and sentence-enhancing weapon allegations in the 2018 attack on Arturo Espino Sr.

Testimony in the trial concluded Thursday afternoon, after which the prosecution and defense delivered closing statements at the Banning Justice Center.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Francisco Navarro directed jurors to return to start deliberations Monday.

Miguel Espino is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney's Office, the defendant and his dad argued regularly and sometimes engaged in physical altercations, most of which stemmed from the younger Espino's tempestuous behavior.

Prior incidents included uncontrolled outbursts leading to vandalism of the elder man's mobile home. There was also an instance in which neighbors witnessed Miguel Espino pin his father's arms behind his back and drag him across a roadway in the mobile home park where Arturo Espino and his wife resided in the 15600 block of Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs, according to court papers.

On the afternoon of Aug. 7, 2018, there was another blowup at the residence, where only the father and son were present. According to the brief, the confrontation led to the defendant allegedly using a hammer to pummel his father about the head, inflicting major trauma.

Prosecutors alleged that after the victim dropped to the floor unconscious, Miguel Espino grabbed a pile of clothes and used flammable liquids in the residence to set them aflame in the hallway. He then ran away.

Neighbors spotted the smoke and rushed into the burning structure, containing the fire with an extinguisher and calling 911.

They pulled the unconscious victim outside, and county fire personnel arrived moments later, completely knocking down the smoldering blaze, according to the prosecution. An arson investigator immediately determined that the fire had been intentionally set.

Arturo Espino was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where doctors were initially unsure he would survive due to the severity of the beating. He remained comatose for days before regaining consciousness, court papers said.

In the meantime, Desert Hot Springs police and Cal Fire arson investigators identified Miguel Espino as the prime suspect, based on conversations with neighbors and his mother, who had moved out of the mobile home park and obtained a restraining order against her son for fear of her life and property, according to court papers.

On Aug. 8, 2018, the defendant was located and taken into custody without incident. He denied hurting his father, but monitored jail conversations between Miguel Espino and his mom confirmed he had attacked the victim, according to the prosecution.

The brief included a transcript of one conversation in which Miguel Espino claimed that his father tried to assault him with a knife, and he in turn struck the victim with a rock and hammer.

He also told investigators someone else had been in the residence and ignited the fire.

The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County, but along with the current case, he has multiple unresolved misdemeanor cases pending.