Did Wife Kill Husband in Self Defense?

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 14, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

During a murder trial, a prosecutor raised doubt that a murder defendant really killed her husband in self defense.

Dianna Lalchan

Christopher Lalchan

Dianna Lalchan is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting her 36-year-old husband, Christopher Lalchan, in the Carrollsburg Condominiums located on the 1200 block of 4th Street, SW in 2013. Dianna, 33, is claiming self defense. D.C. Witness reported earlier that she said she endured an abusive marriage. The couple had been married since 2008.

Throughout a witness’s two-day testimony, she told the jury that Dianna and Christopher’s problems extended well beyond the alleged physical abuse that Dianna told police she was subjected to in the marriage.

According to the witness, who was a co-worker with Dianna when she worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the defendant told her about a disagreement the couple had over children and financial concerns. Dianna also told the witness the she was a lesbian.

The witness said that Dianna and Christopher disagreed about children. Apparently, Christopher wanted children and Dianna did not.

Dianna told the witness that she was concerned about finances from a divorce. The witness said Dianna was concerned with having to pay Christopher alimony when they divorced. According to witness testimony, Dianna was the breadwinner in the household, receiving a salary that was close to $100,000. The District of Columbia is a community property state, which requires equitable division of marriage property and assets.

“He could still get my money,” Dianna told the witness over G-chat, an instant messaging service on Gmail.

However, the defense pointed out that Dianna had other concerns about Christopher and the divorce, such has his financial well-being and her safety.

During redirect, the witness told the jury that Dianna said she was afraid to leave Christopher because he could shoot or kill her or anyone else she was with.

“I don’t want to do it because that will definitely set him off,” the witness said Dianna told her on G-chat. The witness also told the jury that Dianna said she was worried about Christopher losing financial support.

However, some of Dianna’s actions didn’t show that she was worried about Christopher’s financial wellbeing. According to the prosecutor, Dianna had began searching about DC laws on divorce in March, the month he was killed.

“If I walk out, then it (the condo) is his,” Dianna told the co-worker when suggested to leave the home.

D.C. Witness reported that Dianna told a 911 dispatcher that she should have filed a restraining order before the night of the murder.

The defense plans on calling the witness to the stand again so that she can add more information regarding the alleged abuse Dianna faced to her testimony.