SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A former biotech executive who was angry and fed up with a former business partner and his estranged brother-in-law shot and wounded both of them in separate shootings at their La Jolla homes, a prosecutor told a jury Wednesday.
Hans Antone Petersen, 50, is charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count each of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and burglary. He faces up to 96 years to life in prison if convicted.
In her opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Amy Maund said Petersen fired his gun into the master bedroom of former business associate Steven Dowdy around 3 a.m. on Sept. 18, 2013, wounding Dowdy in the hip. Three years earlier, Petersen was fired from the biotech firm he and Dowdy founded.
Three hours later, Petersen broke into the home of his estranged brother-in-law, Ronald Fletcher, shooting the victim in the stomach as he emerged from the shower, Maund told the jury.
Fletcher held Petersen until police arrived.
Maund said Petersen was upset with Fletcher because Fletcher was helping Petersen's estranged wife deal with a disputed piece of property in divorce proceedings.
Defense attorney Marc Carlos conceded that Petersen shot the victims, but told jurors they would have to determine the defendant's state of mind at the time of the shootings.
Carlos said Petersen developed brain dysfunction and a seizure disorder following a 1987 skydiving accident. The attorney said Petersen was acting normal before the shootings.
"Something happened," Carlos said. "The issue is what was his state of mind."