JOLIET, Sick. (AP) — A jury discovered an Illinois landlord guilty of abolish and despise crime costs Friday for a brutal 2023 attack on a Palestinian American household that killed a 6-year-extinct.
Joseph Czuba, 73, became as soon as charged in the fatal stabbing of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023 in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago. Authorities alleged the household — who were renting rooms in Czuba’s dwelling — became as soon as centered thanks to their Islamic faith and as a response to the battle between Israel and Hamas that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023.
Jurors deliberated decrease than 90 minutes over the crime that renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination in the Chicago space’s gargantuan and established Palestinian neighborhood.
“I don’t know if I desires to be joyful or upset, if I desires to be crying or laughing,” Wadee’s father, Odai Alfayoumi, mentioned at a files convention, speaking in Arabic. “Of us are telling me to smile. Perchance if I were no doubt one of you, I could maybe be smiling, nonetheless I’m the daddy of the youngster and I’ve lost the youngster. And I own fancy this decision came to a little of too slack.”
Ben Crump, the nationwide civil rights attorney representing Shaheen, released an announcement calling the decision a “measure of justice.”
“Wadee became as soon as an innocent six-year-extinct youngster whose lifestyles became as soon as stolen in an act of unbelievable violence fueled by hatred,” the observation added. “While we are relieved that his killer has been held guilty, we ought to proceed to face in opposition to the rising tide of despise that ended in this mindless act. We must at all times honor Wadee’s memory by continuing to fight in opposition to despise in all its sorts and working toward a future where each youngster is unswerving, valued, and free from violence.”
Crump requested that the media proceed respecting Shaheen’s privateness as she honors her son’s memory.
The trial featured detailed testimony from police officers, clinical staff, Czuba’s ex-greater half and Shaheen, who described how Czuba attacked her with a knife before going after her son in a various room. Prosecutors train that the youngster had been stabbed 26 situations. He became as soon as discovered naked with a knife quiet in his side.
Graphic photos of the abolish, a knife holder Czuba allegedly feeble that day, along with police video footage were central to the Will County prosecutors’ case. At situations video screens showing tell footage were became far from the overall public viewing viewers where individuals of Wadee’s household sat all the device thru the trial.
“If it wasn’t ample that this defendant killed that little boy, he left the knife in the little boy’s body,” Michael Fitzgerald, a Will County assistant divulge’s attorney, told jurors all the device thru opening statements.
Czuba’s attorney, George LeNard, declined comment Friday afternoon. Czuba had pleaded now not guilty. He confronted abolish, tried abolish, aggravated battery and despise crime costs in an eight-depend indictment.
In line with the Will County Circuit Clerk’s win 22 situation of industrial, Czuba is scheduled for sentencing on May likely furthermore 2.
Defense attorneys insisted items of evidence tying Czuba to the crimes were missing. His ex-greater half, testifying for the prosecution, could maybe also perfect describe one outburst all the device thru their 30 years of marriage and mentioned he carried knives step by step on legend of he became as soon as to hand all around the house.
“Tear previous the sentiments to in moderation sight the evidence,” mentioned Kylie Blatti, no doubt one of Czuba’s public defenders. “It’s miles easy to salvage lost in the horror of these photos.”
One of many intense parts of the trial became as soon as Shaheen’s testimony and the 911 name she made to listing the crime that came about excellent days after the battle started. She mentioned they had now not beforehand had any disorders in the two years they rented from the Czubas. They shared a kitchen and lounge with the Czubas.
Then after the originate of the battle, Czuba told her that they had to switch out on legend of Muslims were now not welcome. Later, he confronted Shaheen and attacked her, preserving her down, stabbing her and looking to interrupt her teeth.
“He told me ’You, as a Muslim, ought to die,” mentioned Shaheen, who testified in English and Arabic despite the indisputable truth that a translator.
Shaheen had extra than a dozen stab wounds and it took her weeks to get well. The boy became as soon as later pronounced needless.
Police testified that officers discovered Czuba open air the house sitting on the ground with blood on his body and fingers.
Individually, civil complaints were filed over the boy’s loss of life, including by his father, Alfayoumi, who’s divorced from Shaheen and became as soon as now not dwelling with them at the house.
The case, which generated headlines all around the realm, comes amid rising hostility in opposition to Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023. The U.S. Division of Justice also launched a federal despise crimes investigation.
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