SPANISH LAWYER ACCUSED OF SUFFOCATING ADOPTED CHINESE DAUGHTER

A Spanish lawyer suffocated her 12-year-old adopted Chinesedaughter in a plan hatched with her ex-husband, a public prosecutor told jurorsThursday as the couple's high profile trial wrapped up.


Rosario Porto, a former lawyer, and her ex-husband,journalist Alfonso Basterra, were charged in 2013 of murdering Asunta Yong FangBasterra Porto, whom they adopted when she was a baby.


The couple are accused of drugging Asunta with the sedativeOrfidal periodically for three months and finally asphyxiating her on September21, 2013. They have both denied the charges.


Up until now the authorities accused the parents of actingtogether.


But in his final arguments to the court prosecutor Jorge Fernandezde Arguiz said Porto, 46, suffocated Asunta on her own in a plan developed withher ex husband.


"He said he thinks they divided up the roles,"Porto's lawyer, Jose Luis Gutierrez Aranguren said.


Prosecutors have asked that both Porto and Basterra each getprison sentences of 18 years.


At the time of Asunta's death, the couple were separated butsay they were raising their adopted daughter together.


The trial was scheduled to wrap up on Friday. Thenine-member jury will begin deliberations on Monday.


Over 100 witnesses and experts testified at the trial, whichgot underway at the end of September.


The case shocked Spain and drew international attention whenit came to light, prompting a statement of concern by the Chinese foreignministry.


During the trial Porto told the court that she had beensuffering from depression that year and had herself been taking the sedativeOrfidal.


When prosecutors showed her photographs of Asunta's corpse,Porto burst into tears, Spanish media in the courtroom reported.