La Mesa

A La Mesa man pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges that he murdered his wife’s unborn son by beating her.

Appearing with chains around his waist for security purposes, Phil Aston Miller, 28, was ordered held in County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Kerry Hamor said Miller’s common-law wife of eight years, Linda Willis, received three broken ribs during the July 31 assault. Hamor said she was 25-27 weeks pregnant at the time and the assault was “unprovoked.”

“There had been some discussion between the two of them about getting an abortion because he didn’t want the baby,” said Hamor.

“She said he just came home from work and blew up.”

Doctors delivered the baby by Caesarean section, but he died Aug. 30.

Hamor said she received indications that Willis, who also uses the name of Linda Miller, may not cooperate with the prosecution. She said Willis made statements to police about the beating.

“If she doesn’t want to testify to that, we can bring in those statements,” said Hamor.

Miller also pleaded innocent to the assault charge against his wife during his arraignment before San Diego Municipal Court Judge Charles Hayes.

A bail review was set for Friday.