Paragraph 1 reads: "A man was sane when he stabbed to death his wife and smothered his 8-year-old son in 2005 before setting their bodies on fire, a judge ruled."

Paragraph 3 reads: "Defense attorneys claimed he was under the influence of an antidepressant drug at the time but prosecutors argued that was not enough to determine he was legally insane."

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2008/02/29/ap-state-ca/d8v485cg0.txt

Judge: Paramount man was sane when he killed wife, son in 2005

COMPTON, Calif. - A man was sane when he stabbed to death his wife and smothered his 8-year-old son in 2005 before setting their bodies on fire, a judge ruled.

A Superior Court judge issued the ruling Thursday in the sanity phase of Ernesto Acedo's trial, one day after a jury convicted him of two counts of second-degree murder and one count of arson, Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.

Defense attorneys claimed he was under the influence of an antidepressant drug at the time but prosecutors argued that was not enough to determine he was legally insane.

Acedo faces 33 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on April 24.

He has been jailed since his 2005 arrest and could not immediately be reached for comment.

Acedo's wife, Maila Acedo, 30, was a Filipino immigrant. Prosecutors said she got a job in California as a registered nurse and then sent for Acedo and their son, Duke.

Acedo arrived in the United States on July 23, 2005. Prosecutors said Acedo believed his wife was having an affair and on Aug. 2 _ less that two weeks after arriving _ he killed her and their son at their Paramount home.

Acedo tried to burn the bodies and caught fire himself but survived, prosecutors said.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)