Firefighter's West Adams battery trial: prosecution rests

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Prosecutors rested their case Thursday against a firefighter and his mother accused of beating a woman for feeding stray cats in a West Adams neighborhood last year.

Los Angeles city firefighter Ian Eulian and his mother, Lonieta Fontaine, are seen on surveillance video in a physical altercation with 47-year-old Rebecca Stafford during a heated argument, and Ian Eulian is seen repeatedly punching Stafford. The incident occurred in September 2013.

Eulian is charged with battery and Fontaine is charged with accessory after the fact. Both have pleaded not guilty.

L.A. Fire Department Captain Timothy Ramirez and Captain Richard Fields testified in the trial on Thursday.

Ramirez has worked with Eulian for more than a decade. On the stand Thursday, the prosecution asked Ramirez if he had seen the surveillance video.

"Have you seen the entire video?" the prosecution asked.

"No, I saw what they showed on the Channel 7 News," said Ramirez.

"Viewing that, does that change your opinion as to Mr. Eulian being a non-violent person?" the prosecution asked.

"In a yes or no answer, I would say no, I don't have enough facts," Ramirez said.

The prosecution rested its case after questioning Ramirez.

The defense then took over, calling several other firefighters to the witness stand, including L.A. City Fire Captain Richard Fields. Fields testified that he's worked with Eulian for 13 years, and has never considered him to be a violent or untrustworthy person.

The defense asked Fields if he had seen the surveillance video of Eulian repeatedly punching Stafford. Fields responded yes. The defense then asked if the video changed his opinion of Eulian.

"The video, as shocking as it is, it is a very small piece and lacks so much context, so to answer directly, my opinion has not changed based on the videotape," said Fields.

In cross-examination the prosecutor hammered Fields on whether the video changed his mind about Eulian's character.

"The video, the conversation that I've had with him, are not and were not my only determination for how I feel about his character, whether he's honest or violent or anything like that," said Fields.

Fields told the prosecutor he did ask Eulian why he punched the woman, and he says Eulian told him he reacted to his 70-year-old mother being kicked to the ground.

Stafford has maintained in court during her testimony that she did not kick Fontaine. Stafford has said it was Eulian who pushed his mother to the ground in order to get close enough to punch her.

If found guilty, Eulian could go to prison for seven years.

Fontaine is expected to take the stand Friday.