Landlord imprisoned in assault on Palestinian American household has died : NPR

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Charles Rex Arbogast/AP JOLIET, Unwell. — A landlord sentenced to a long time in jail after he killed a Palestinian American boy and wounded his mom has died.

Three months in the past, Joseph Czuba was sentenced to 53 years behind bars for the assault. He was discovered responsible in February of homicide, tried homicide and hate-crime expenses within the dying of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of the boy's mom, Hanan Shaheen.

The 73-year-old Czuba focused them in October 2023 due to their Islamic religion and as a response to the battle between Israel and Hamas, which began days earlier.

Czuba died Thursday within the custody of the Illinois Division of Corrections, in keeping with a press release from the Will County Sheriff's Workplace.

Ahmed Rehab, the chief director of Council on American-Islamic Relations' Chicago workplace, mentioned in a press release on Saturday that "this wicked killer has died, however the hate remains to be alive and properly."

Proof at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 name, together with bloody crime scene images and police video. Jurors deliberated lower than 90 minutes earlier than handing in a verdict.

The household had been renting rooms in Czuba's dwelling in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago when the assault occurred.

Central to prosecutors' case was harrowing testimony from the boy's mom, who mentioned Czuba attacked her earlier than shifting on to her son, insisting they needed to go away as a result of they had been Muslim. Prosecutors additionally performed the 911 name and confirmed police footage. Czuba's spouse, Mary, whom he has since divorced, additionally testified for the prosecution, saying he had turn into agitated concerning the Israel-Hamas battle, which had erupted days earlier.

Police mentioned Czuba pulled a knife from a holder on a belt and stabbed the boy 26 instances, leaving the knife within the kid's physique. A few of the bloody crime scene images had been so express that the decide agreed to show tv screens exhibiting them away from the viewers, which included Wadee's kin.

The assault renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination and hit significantly arduous in Plainfield and surrounding suburbs, which have a big and established Palestinian neighborhood. Wadee's funeral drew giant crowds, and Plainfield officers have devoted a park playground in his honor.