Widow, Attorney Clash in Traffic Dispute Trial

The widow of a man shot to death in Pacific Beach after a traffic dispute clashed angrily with a defense attorney Tuesday when the attorney questioned her about her personal life.

Gloria Sanchez was called by the prosecution to testify in the murder trial of Howard Barton, a 47-year-old real estate agent charged in the Feb. 22, 1990, slaying of Marco Sanchez, 24, of National City.

The widow, who was pregnant at the time of her husband’s death, testified that she had placed a pocketknife under the driver’s seat in her husband’s car.

Defense attorney Milton Silverman has argued that Sanchez may have been trying to reach the knife to use against Barton when he was shot. Sanchez was slain while seated in the car, a few minutes after arguing with Barton’s daughter in traffic.

On cross-examination by Silverman, Gloria Sanchez acknowledged that she filed a court petition in August, 1989, seeking an annulment of her marriage to Sanchez, which took place the previous June.

She earlier had denied in a deposition that the two had separated, she told Silverman, because they reconciled and she forgot she had once sought the annulment.

The defense attorney asked her if she was “an honest person,” and after she said yes, Silverman asked her if she was fired from a Fedco store in 1987 for theft.

She said she was fired because “of an incident that came up” and denied that she arranged to steal merchandise from the store with her sister.

Silverman showed her a written statement, which Sanchez confirmed was written by her on Nov. 29, 1987, to store personnel in which she admitted she had planned to steal merchandise by not ringing up items on a cash register.

“I was told to write this or they would bring charges,” she said.

Silverman continued his questioning, and Sanchez angrily asked him: “Are you listening to what I’m saying? What do you want from me?”

San Diego Superior Court Judge William Mudd immediately declared a recess. During the break, the woman wiped away tears.

“I will not tolerate further outbursts,” the judge told Sanchez, adding that if she needed another recess before her testimony was finished, she would get one.

Sanchez has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Barton and his daughter, Andrea, and Silverman asked her whether a conviction of Barton would help her suit.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Chappell objected, and the judge directed Sanchez not to answer.

The 13-year-old niece of the victim, Felicia Goodwin, also testified Tuesday that she was riding with him in Pacific Beach when the traffic dispute occurred. The girl appeared nervous and upset, and a recess was called immediately after she entered the courtroom.

Goodwin testified that Andrea Barton’s car stalled in traffic, causing other motorists to honk. “She gave us the finger,” the girl said.

Andrea Barton, a student at Point Loma Nazarene College, is expected to testify later as a defense witness. Silverman said she summoned her father to find Sanchez after the dispute, and they later located him at a store.