California doctor accused of trying to poison husband with drain cleaner trying to kill ants, lawyers claim

ANGEL — A Southern California doctor accused of poisoning her husband's tea with Drano has been charged.

Now, we are hearing from both attorneys in this case as the defendants are expected to appear in court in the coming weeks.

Accused of poisoning her husband with drain cleaner, dermatologist Yue “Emily” Yu has been charged with three counts of felony poisoning and one count of domestic battery. However, her lawyers claim the woman's husband set her up.

“Dr. Chen basically set her up and put a spy camera or hidden camera in the kitchen to catch her doing it. Then she claims she was poisoned,” said the wife's attorney, Scott Simmons.

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These images became the center of attention for Orange County District Attorney who claimed they showed the mother of two pouring a “Drano-like substance” into her husband Dr. Jack Chen, “intended to cause him pain and suffering.”

However, Yu's attorney said that was not how it was portrayed. He claims his client tried to kill ants in the kitchen.

“He poured the Drano into the cup three times — to kill the ants. There was no doubt about it. He literally poured the Drano into the cup,” Simmons said.

Chen said he installed hidden cameras in his home last April, when he said he “started noticing a strange taste of tea.”

Orange County DA said photos captured Yu pouring the substance into tea on July 11, July 18, and July 25.

In Chen's divorce filing, it stated that she was diagnosed with “two stomach ulcers, gastritis and esophagitis”.

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Lawyer Chen said he believed Yu did not want to kill her husband, but to make him suffer.

“What she did was vicious. She inserted herself into her morning routine very smoothly. We don't know how long ago she realized she had been poisoned,” said Steve Hittelman, the husband's lawyer.

Yu is expected to stand trial in the coming weeks and could face eight years if found guilty of all charges. Meanwhile, her husband has filed for divorce and is fighting for full custody of their children.