Woman pleads not guilty in son’s attempted murder

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005 | 9:46 a.m.

A 39-year-old woman who said a devil voice told her to smother her 9-year-old pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and child abuse and neglect on Monday.

Patricia Hood is scheduled to stand trial May 2 before District Judge Nancy Saitta.

Hood's attorney, Robert Lucherini, said he would be filing a motion in the coming weeks requesting a bench trail for Hood. He also said Hood's defense will be that she was temporarily insane.

On Nov. 21 Hood called 911 about 5:30 p.m. after apparently trying to suffocate her son, a police report says. The boy told officers, "Mommy put the pillow over my face and said, 'I'm gonna kill you,' " according to the report.

Police believe she held the pillow against his face until he stopped breathing and then released him. He was not injured.

Police arrested her at her home on Gentilly Lane near Rainbow Boulevard and Smoke Ranch Road. When an officer asked Hood what happened, she said, "My blood ran cold and a devil voice was telling me we were bad and it was our time," according to the arrest report.

Hood said the voice also told her, "Your son is bad, you have bad seed ... There is nothing good in you," according to the report.