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Alma Ruesga never brings up the day her sister's boyfriend died in the presence of her 5-year-old son Miguel. But the boy witnessed the fight that led to the death of George Davila, and she said that he tells her "Dog Town" stabbed him.
The murder trial for the man her son only knows as "Dog Town," Jose Angel Gonzalez, began Monday in 3rd District Court.
Gonzalez, 22, is charged with fatally stabbing 24-year-old Davila after the two got into a fight Aug. 9, 2011, at a Kohl's in West Valley City.
Gonzalez was identified as a member of the Dog Town gang, while Davila associated with Nortenos gang members, according to prosecutors.
Gang members are expected to represent their group and they must not ever allow disrespect, said Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney Aaron Flater.
"In this case, disrespect led to death," Flater said during opening statements in the four-day jury trial.
Ruesga testified that she, her son, her sister and Davila were outside Kohl's when she saw Gonzalez — whom she identified as a Dog Town gang member by a tattoo on his arm —sitting on a planter and talking on a cell phone.
"What up, ese?" Gonzalez asked, according to Ruesga.
Ruesga testified they said nothing in return as she, her son and Davila walked past to Famous Footwear and Ruesga's sister went into Kohl's.
In his opening statement, defense attorney Samuel Hanseen said that the words exchanged outside Kohls are in dispute, but that Gonzalez, told the person he was talking with on the phone that he feared a confrontation.
After a few minutes in the shoe store, the trio went into Kohls to meet up with Ruesga's sister. Davila and Miguel went to the bathroom while Ruesga waited nearby. She remembered Gonzalez walked into the men's room, and then she heard and saw through the open door Gonzalez and Davila yelling.
Ruesga told prosecutor Sandi Johnson that she did not hear what the two were shouting about. But during cross-examination by defense attorney Nisa Sisneros, Ruesga recalled that Gonzalez repeated the "ese" question, and that Davila answered him.
Ruesga did not know who threw the first punch, and that is a point of contention in the trial. Hanseen argued that Davila attacked Gonzalez, so Gonzalez, who had a knife, defended himself.
But Flater said Gonzalez's words to Davila were a gang-style challenge. And after Davila answered, Gonzalez "shanked [Davila] with a knife," Flater said.
After trading blows, Gonzalez ran from the store, and Davila ran after him until he noticed he was bleeding.
He went to the hospital with Ruesga, her sister and Miguel, but later died from a stab wound to his spleen, according to medical testimony.
The trial continues Tuesday before Judge Vernice Trease.