Paragraph 5 reads: "Plesser told jurors the slaying was a sudden quarrel sparked by a heat of passion. Mont had been taking depression medication but stopped when his wife's health plan no longer covered him, Plesser said."

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/133231.html

Murder defense blames couple's sudden quarrel

Last Updated 2:52 am PST Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B2

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There is no question that Nicholas Mont grabbed a gun and shot his former wife in the back of the head last year. The only issue was what he was thinking when he pulled the trigger, a Sacramento Superior Court jury was told Monday.

"'She betrayed me,'" Deputy District Attorney Keith Hill quoted Mont as telling an officer about his wife, Sharon, dean of National University in Sacramento.

Mont, 60, is charged with an open count of murder.

Public defender Steven Plesser described his client as "shaking with anger" on Jan. 20, 2006, the day he killed his 53-year-old wife of 15 years.

Plesser told jurors the slaying was a sudden quarrel sparked by a heat of passion. Mont had been taking depression medication but stopped when his wife's health plan no longer covered him, Plesser said.

Mont, who was writing a script for a television show, was using his wife's computer in her Rancho Cordova home.

On the day of the killing, Mont had to leave because his former wife's roommate was coming home and didn't like him around the house, Hill said.

Minutes before the shooting, Mont was in the garage loading a .357-caliber pistol bullet by bullet, and then walked into the home office and shot her, Hill said.

-- Ramon Coronado