A murder trial at the Old Bailey has heard that a US student accused of killing a fellow student had only "split seconds" to defend himself against an attack by his angry lover.
The Fatal Incident in Lewisham
Joshua Michals, a 26-year-old American student, is on trial for the murder of 31-year-old Zhe Wang, a Chinese national who was also studying at Goldsmiths, University of London. The court heard that on 20 March 2024, emergency services were called to Ms Wang's flat in Manor Park, Lewisham, south-east London, where she was found with two stab wounds to her face.
Brian St Louis KC, defending Michals, told jurors his client acted in self-defence. He claimed Ms Wang attacked Michals with a knife shortly after they met at her flat, and that her injuries were sustained during the ensuing struggle. "He had split seconds to do whatever he could to make sure that he was not stabbed and that he was not seriously injured," Mr St Louis KC said.
A Relationship Marred by Anger and Accusations
The defence barrister revealed that Ms Wang had sent a message to Michals the day before her death stating, "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." He told the court, "She was angry and she was out to deal with the person who was the bane of her life." Michals allegedly repeatedly told Ms Wang to calm down during the incident, shouting 'what the f*** are you doing?', but she did not stop.
The trial heard that the relationship was strained after Ms Wang incorrectly believed she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) following sex with Michals. She had demanded he get tested and even vowed to find him on campus to "drag" him to a GP. Jurors were told Michals never had an STD.
Defendant's Account and Aftermath
Michals told the court he did not mean to strike Ms Wang with the knife, stating, "I just wanted to get her away from me." He admitted pressing his forearm to her neck to restrain her but insisted he had no intention to kill or cause serious harm. A post-mortem examination concluded Ms Wang died from stab wounds to the head and compression to the neck.
Following the incident, Michals called his father and obtained a solicitor's details before returning to his flat and phoning an ambulance. Jurors heard he also took Ms Wang's phone from her kitchen and disposed of it in a bin outside; it was later recovered days later at a refuse area in Newham, east London.
Michals, originally from Chicago, Illinois, was studying for a master's degree in filmmaking at Goldsmiths. He told the court he met Ms Wang on his first day on campus and they had met around ten times before her death, but he was ambivalent about a relationship due to her germ phobia.
Joshua Michals, of Deals Gateway, south-east London, denies murder. The trial at the Old Bailey continues.
