The last thing a woman said she remembered after regaining consciousness was being choked by Patrick Michael Aleman.
The woman testified in Crow Wing County District Court Wednesday. She also testified Aleman put a pillow over her face while they were in the living room of a Brainerd apartment.
Dressed in a white button-down blouse and brown pinstripe skirt, the woman testified in front of Judge David J. Ten Eyck. The Dispatch is not naming the woman because of the domestic assault situation.
Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan called the woman to the stand and when she sat down to testify, she had to face Aleman, who is representing himself in the court trial. Aleman waived his rights to a jury trial.
Aleman was charged with three felonies Feb. 20, 2014, in Crow Wing County District Court for first-degree attempted murder, while committing domestic abuse with past pattern of domestic abuse; third-degree assault to cause substantial bodily harm; and domestic assault by strangulation. Those charges have since been amended to first-degree assault to cause great bodily harm; third-degree assault to cause substantial bodily harm; and domestic assault by strangulation.
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The woman said Aleman is the person who inflicted injuries on her, which include burning her with a cigarette and causing significant bruises to her body. She said she was in a great deal of pain and was scared to initially tell police, North Memorial paramedics and hospital staff that Aleman had hurt her. She said when she had her daughter with her and felt she was safe, she went to police later.
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The woman said Aleman is the person who inflicted injuries on her, which include burning her with a cigarette and causing significant bruises to her body. She said she was in a great deal of pain and was scared to initially tell police, North Memorial paramedics and hospital staff that Aleman had hurt her.
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The woman continuously looked directly at Ryan when he asked her questions about her relationship with Aleman. She said they met in a bar in July of 2013. She said they saw each other off and on. The woman also had an on-and-off-again relationship with another man, Robbie Ahmann.
Ryan asked if Aleman was ever violent while they were dating in the summer of 2013 and she said no. When Ryan asked if he was violent in January of 2014, she said "I'm not sure." Ryan asked if it was fair to say Aleman did not cause her any severe injuries during this time and she said yes.
Days leading up to the 911 call
The woman had coffee with Ahmann at Country Kitchen in Baxter just before Valentine's Day in 2014. The woman said later that day she told Aleman about it while they were driving home. She said he was upset. She said Aleman asked her "Does your hip hurt?" and she took his statement to mean he was going to hurt her.
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The woman said they stopped at a convenient store where Aleman bought a bottle of alcohol and when they got home she got her daughter ready for bed, while he sat in the living room watching TV. The woman said Aleman then punched her in the hip and left a bruise.
"I was still sore and had trouble walking," the woman said of the injury during a Valentine's Day movie outing with her friend Samantha Collins and their children.
On Feb. 15-16 of 2014, the woman said Aleman was still upset about Ahmann and he began punching and hitting her a lot and hitting her face. She said her lips were swollen and her face was red and on Feb. 17, 2014, she was "very sore" from the injuries. The woman said she asked Collins to pick up her daughter because she didn't want to be seen in public because of her injuries.
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On Feb. 15-16 of 2014, the woman said Aleman was still upset about Ahmann and he began punching and hitting her a lot and hitting her face. She said her lips were swollen and her face was red and on Feb. 17, 2014, she was "very sore" from the injuries.
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On Feb. 17, 2014, the woman said they stayed home and had a typical night, having dinner and getting her daughter ready for bed and then they watched movies and drank alcohol. The woman said her neighbor, Camisha Hamilton, came over and had a few drinks and then left.
They began watching TV again and she said, "Something made him (Aleman) think about Robbie again and he started punching me again ... I asked him to stop. He didn't say anything.
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"He hit me for awhile. He bit me on my lips and cheek."
The woman said Aleman broke her tooth when he head-butted her. She said he also gave her multiple cigarette burns on her body. She said things escalated and he put his hands around her throat and began choking her.
"I was dizzy and I felt like I was going to pass out," she said. "I tried to stop him by putting my hands on him .... It seemed like it was an eternity."
The woman was unconscious and when she woke up, she told Aleman she had to go to the hospital. She said Aleman didn't want her to go because he would get in trouble. She said he got all his stuff and left.
She called her friend Collins, who came over and called 911 at 2:51 a.m. Feb. 18, 2014, at the apartment on the 3300 block of Oak Street.
"I could hardly move and I had trouble breathing," she said as she wiped tears off her face. "I had a terrible pain on my right side. Both sides hurt, but one side was worse.
When the woman got to the hospital, Aleman came to see her. She said he got "very close" to her and whispered to her to not say anything about how she was injured. The woman said she was scared and that is why she initially told emergency personnel she fell down.
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When the woman got to the hospital, Aleman came to see her. She said he got "very close" to her and whispered to her to not say anything about how she was injured. The woman said she was scared and that is why she initially told emergency personnel she fell down.
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After a court recess, Aleman cross-examined the woman, who did not make eye contact with him. Aleman asked if she remembered he told her to talk to Ahmann to let him know where he stood so he would have closure and the woman said yes. Aleman asked if Ahmann ever hit her and she said no.
Aleman asked the woman questions about what Collins said about the incidents and how the woman got punched in the face. The woman didn't answer as Ryan objected and said the questions were all hearsay.
Aleman asked the woman if she remembered when they smoked and how embers would fall onto them and she said "I'm not sure."
Aleman asked if the woman was told to say things others wanted her to say and she said yes. He asked her if it was the officers and she said, "No, you told me."
Brainerd police officers Rachel Boggs, Paul Rosier and Justin Athman were also called as witnesses. Athman and Rosier were asked about what they saw at the scene of the residence at the time of the call and about the traffic stop with Aleman.
Brainerd Investigator Craig Katzenberger was called to testify about text messages he downloaded from the woman's phone between her and Aleman. Katzenberger said one call from Aleman to the woman was at 3:23 a.m. Feb. 18, 2014, and said, "Baby, I just got pulled over. Going to jail. I love you,"
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The last witness of the day was Hamilton. Hamilton went to the victim's residence that night and they talked and laughed and said "We were all drunk ... feeling good." Hamilton said the victim's tooth was not broken, her lips were not swollen and she had no bite marks on her face. Hamilton said she was there 15-20 minutes, "give or take" and then the woman told her to leave, Hamilton said.
Aleman said "That night you showed up she (the woman) was pretty drunk?" and Hamilton said yes. Aleman said "Sometimes I wouldn't drink because you both were way drunk?" Hamilton agreed. He asked her if the woman fell on the ground that night and then giggled. Hamilton said yes.
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Aleman said "That night you showed up she (the woman) was pretty drunk?" and Hamilton said yes. Aleman said "Sometimes I wouldn't drink because you both were way drunk?" Hamilton agreed. He asked her if the woman fell on the ground that night and then giggled. Hamilton said yes.
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When Aleman asked Hamilton if he seemed aggressive or angry that night, she said no.
Aleman said when the woman fell, he picked her up, put her on the bed and then Hamilton left and she agreed.
"I take care of my family and I did that night, right?" Aleman said and Hamilton agreed.
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Ryan did not remember Hamilton saying Aleman picked the woman up after she fell. Ryan asked Hamilton if she remembers telling Brainerd Police Sgt. Paul Dooley this in her statement and she said no. Ryan found her statement and had her read it. Ryan said with the time that has passed from what Hamilton said a year ago to what she remembers now, he asked if her recollection was different and she said yes.
Aleman then asked Hamilton is she felt comfortable Wednesday of what happened in February of 2014 and she said, "I don't know."
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl .
