Prosecutors say the 31-year-old Garden Grove man argued with Nuong Nguyen because he wanted to become a pharmacist. His mother had paid for his schooling and said he would shame the family unless he became a physician.
His attorney, Rob Harley, says the woman was in fragile health and suffered a fatal heart attack after her son, who was schizophrenic, choked her for about six seconds.
Harley told jurors her death was an accident.
