By . John Stevens . Last updated at 4:07 PM on 14th July 2011 . Accused: Catherine Kieu is alleged to have cut off her husband's penis and then dialled the emergency services . A woman accused of drugging her husband before cutting off his penis with a kitchen knife and grinding it up in a garbage disposal after a row over house guests faces life in prison. Catherine Kieu, 48, is said to have made her 60-year-old husband dinner at their California home on Monday night and put an unknown poison or drug in the food to make him pass out. When he woke up, he was tied to a bed and could not move while his wife took a 10 inch knife to his genitalia before throwing the organ into the garbage disposal and turning it on, police said. Prosecutors said that incident followed an argument over friends staying at the house. The couple, who married in late 2009, were involved in divorce proceedings. Kieu, who works as a real estate broker, rang 911. She told officers who found her husband tied to the bed and bleeding from the groin that he 'deserved it'. The man was rushed to the University of . California-Irvine Medical Center in Orange where he underwent emergency . surgery. The severed organ could not be reattached. Scroll down for video . Hiding: Catherine Kieu hid her face behind her hair as she appeared in court . Behind bars: Kieu faces life in prison if found guilty and given the maximum sentence . Kieu, who was initially identified as Catherine Kieu Becker, appeared in court yesterday charged with one count each of . torture and aggravated mayhem, with sentencing enhancements for causing . great bodily injury and using a knife. During a brief court appearance, in which she hid her face behind her dark hair, she was told she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Authorities were called to the . couple's home in Garden Grove, just south of Los Angeles, after Kieu . called 911 reporting a medical emergency. The husband told police she served . him dinner and he went to bed around 9pm after feeling tired. Prison: Becker is being held at Orange County jail charged with poisoning and spousal abuse . While . he was sleeping, Kieu 'tied the victim’s legs and arms to the four . corners of the bed with nylon ropes', prosecutors said. The victim told authorities that when . he woke up, Kieu pulled his pants 'grabbing the victim’s penis and . severing it with a knife'. Kieu then took the penis to the kitchen and . threw it in the garbage disposal, 'turning it on, and mutilating the . organ'. Watch the video .
Catherine Kieu could get life behind bars for attack .
Followed argument over friends staying at divorcing couple's home .
Kieu told police that her husband 'deserved it'
By . John Stevens . Last updated at 4:07 PM on 14th July 2011 . Accused: Catherine Kieu is alleged to have cut off her husband's penis and then dialled the emergency services . A woman accused of drugging her husband before cutting off his penis with a kitchen knife and grinding it up in a garbage disposal after a row over house guests faces life in prison. Catherine Kieu, 48, is said to have made her 60-year-old husband dinner at their California home on Monday night and put an unknown poison or drug in the food to make him pass out. When he woke up, he was tied to a bed and could not move while his wife took a 10 inch knife to his genitalia before throwing the organ into the garbage disposal and turning it on, police said. Prosecutors said that incident followed an argument over friends staying at the house. The couple, who married in late 2009, were involved in divorce proceedings. Kieu, who works as a real estate broker, rang 911. She told officers who found her husband tied to the bed and bleeding from the groin that he 'deserved it'. The man was rushed to the University of . California-Irvine Medical Center in Orange where he underwent emergency . surgery. The severed organ could not be reattached. Scroll down for video . Hiding: Catherine Kieu hid her face behind her hair as she appeared in court . Behind bars: Kieu faces life in prison if found guilty and given the maximum sentence . Kieu, who was initially identified as Catherine Kieu Becker, appeared in court yesterday charged with one count each of . torture and aggravated mayhem, with sentencing enhancements for causing . great bodily injury and using a knife. During a brief court appearance, in which she hid her face behind her dark hair, she was told she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Authorities were called to the . couple's home in Garden Grove, just south of Los Angeles, after Kieu . called 911 reporting a medical emergency. The husband told police she served . him dinner and he went to bed around 9pm after feeling tired. Prison: Becker is being held at Orange County jail charged with poisoning and spousal abuse . While . he was sleeping, Kieu 'tied the victim’s legs and arms to the four . corners of the bed with nylon ropes', prosecutors said. The victim told authorities that when . he woke up, Kieu pulled his pants 'grabbing the victim’s penis and . severing it with a knife'. Kieu then took the penis to the kitchen and . threw it in the garbage disposal, 'turning it on, and mutilating the . organ'. Watch the video .
incident followed an argument over friends 'deserved it'. The man was rushed to the down for video . Hiding: Catherine Kieu hid her were called to the . couple's home in Garden husband told police she served . him dinner and