SLO jury convicts man who stabbed pregnant girlfriend

October 17, 2015

A man who stabbed his pregnant girlfriend at a home in Cambria has been convicted of 25 charges related to domestic violence.

Brian Michael Rodriguez, 26, stabbed his pregnant girlfriend multiple times on July 2014 while the couple was visiting friends and Rodriguez was heavily intoxicated. Rodriguez previously stabbed her on four other occasions, leaving the victim with small wounds, prosecutors said.

On Friday, a jury convicted Rodriguez of 22 felony and three misdemeanor charges. The crimes crimes occurred in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties in 2013 and 2014, according to the SLO County District Attorney’s Office.

Rodriguez now faces a maximum prison sentence of 35 years and two months, according to the district attorney’s office. His custody credits are limited to 15 percent.

Rodriguez faced mandatory life sentences for the two torture counts on which the jury acquitted him. The jury also denied one enhancement Rodriguez faced that, too, carried a mandatory life sentence.

The jury did convict Rodriguez of attempted murder and mayhem charges.

On the night of the attack in Cambria, Rodriguez allegedly barged in on his girlfriend while she was in a restroom. He attempted to urinate on her, but she stopped him and caused him to urinate on himself.

Rodriguez then became angry, puncher her in the head and face and called her a whore. Shortly afterwards, Rodriguez threatened her with a knife and told her he was going to kill her. He cut her multiple times on the arm and once on the back.

Rodriguez had been drinking beer throughout the evening.

During the trial, defense attorney Raymond Allen argued Rodriguez could not have committed attempted murder because he was in an alcohol-induced blackout. Allen said the combination of Rodriguez’s blackout and his underlying mental health issues precluded him from having the intent of a person who is guilty of attempted murder.

Rodriguez’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 17. He is being held in San Luis Obispo County Jail without bail.