U.S. man sentenced to 53 years for hate-crime killing of 6-year-old Palestinian American

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An Illinois landlord who killed a six-year-old Palestinian American boy and severely injured the boy's mom in a vicious hate-crime assault days after the struggle in Gaza started was sentenced Friday to 53 years in jail.

Joseph Czuba, 73, was discovered responsible in February of homicide, tried homicide and hate-crime expenses within the dying of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mom, Hanan Shaheen.

Authorities mentioned Czuba focused them in October 2023 due to their Islamic religion and as a response to the struggle between Israel and Hamas. The household had been renting rooms in Czuba's house in Plainfield, Unwell., about 64 kilometres southwest of Chicago, when the assault occurred.

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The U.S. legal professional common says authorities are investigating the taking pictures of three males of Palestinian descent in Burlington, Vt., as a hate crime. All three had been severely injured however are anticipated to outlive. The accused shooter pleaded not responsible Monday to tried homicide expenses. Central to the prosecution's case was harrowing testimony from the boy's mom, who mentioned Czuba attacked her earlier than transferring 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 change into agitated concerning the Israel-Hamas struggle, 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 pictures had been so specific that the choose agreed to show tv screens displaying them away from the viewers, which included Wadee's relations.

"He couldn't escape," Michael Fitzgerald, a Will County assistant state's legal professional, instructed jurors at trial. "If it wasn't sufficient that this defendant killed that little boy, he left the knife within the little boy's physique."

The jury deliberated for 90 minutes earlier than returning a verdict. Czuba is eligible for a minimal jail sentence of 20 to 60 years or life, in accordance with the Will County State's Lawyer's Workplace.

Prosecutors declined to remark forward of Friday's listening to and haven't mentioned what sentence they may search. Illinois doesn't have the dying penalty.

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

Czuba didn't converse throughout the trial. His defence attorneys argued that there have been holes within the case. His public defender, George Lenard, has not addressed reporters and declined remark forward of the sentencing.

Shaheen skilled greater than a dozen stab wounds and it took her weeks to get well. She mentioned there have been no prior points within the two years she rented from the Czubas, even whereas sharing a kitchen and a front room.

Then after the beginning of the struggle, Czuba instructed her that they needed to transfer out as a result of Muslims weren't welcome. He later confronted Shaheen and attacked her, holding her down, stabbing her and making an attempt to interrupt her enamel.

"He instructed me, 'You, as a Muslim, should die,"' mentioned Shaheen, who testified in English and Arabic by way of a translator.

Police testified that officers discovered Czuba outdoors the home, sitting on the bottom with blood on his physique and fingers.

Individually, lawsuits have been filed over the boy's dying, together with by his father, Odai Alfayoumi, who's divorced from Shaheen and was not dwelling with them.