Valid defense for murder?

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

Is is this a VALID defense for murder in the United States?

Arizona "honor killing" trial set to start

PHOENIX (Reuters) – An Iraqi immigrant is due to begin trial on Monday to face charges he murdered his daughter by running her over with a Jeep because he believed she was too Westernized.

Opening arguments are scheduled to begin in Maricopa County Superior Court in the case of Faleh Hassan Almaleki, accused of what prosecutors say was an October 2009 "honor killing" over his daughter's behavior.

Police say he crashed his Jeep Laredo into his 20 year-old daughter, Noor Almaleki, and her boyfriend's mother, as the two walked across a parking lot in the Phoenix suburb of Peoria. The daughter died two weeks later; the mother recovered.

The 50-year-old Almaleki faces life in prison if convicted by the 12-member jury.

He is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and two counts of hit and run.

A spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined comment on Friday. Jeff Kirchler, Almaleki's public defender, did not respond to a message left with his office.

Almaleki told detectives and witnesses that he was angry at his daughter because she was "too Westernized," and he felt she was defying Iraqi and Muslim values, said Jay Davies, a spokesman for the Peoria Police Department.

The daughter had shunned an arranged marriage, and was living with her boyfriend and his mother, police said.

The United Nations has documented honor killings in Egypt, Iraq, Turkey and other countries, but the practice of killing a family member -- often a woman or a girl -- over perceived shame is relatively rare in the United States.

Following his daughter's death, Almaleki fled to Mexico and later to London, where he was taken into custody upon his arrival. He is being held on $5 million bail.

Arizona "honor killing" trial set to start - Yahoo! News

EnglishLady · Jan 23, 2011

IMO One word is all that is needed..... Guilty

scottm4211 · Jan 23, 2011

I think Brazil or one of the South American countries still has the "machismo" defense but no, I doubt that will fly in the U.S.

LDB · Jan 23, 2011

INVALID! Totally because he isn't going to have an automatic death penalty. Other than the totally bogus life in prison when it's premeditated murder and should be death penalty it's totally valid.

greg334 · Jan 23, 2011

Well I think it is an abomination to our society but with that said, we overlook a lot of what goes on within our borders.

This is a rare occurence, killing of a daughter or sister but outside of that, we have an open border which brings in worst things - from slavery to human traficking.

ON top of all of that, our allies also have some issues with honor killings, as mentioned our biggest foreign aid recipient - Egypt - has not done enough to curb it and it extends to our trading partners, India and Pakistan both have made moves to end the practice but haven't really done much. I brought this question up in another forum, and I will here. If we were so hell bent on punishing the South Africans for their Apartheid, then why are we not doing the same thing with India, Pakistan and Egypt?

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
Well I think it is an abomination to our society but with that said, we overlook a lot of what goes on within our borders.

This is a rare occurence, killing of a daughter or sister but outside of that, we have an open border which brings in worst things - from slavery to human traficking.

ON top of all of that, our allies also have some issues with honor killings, as mentioned our biggest foreign aid recipient - Egypt - has not done enough to curb it and it extends to our trading partners, India and Pakistan both have made moves to end the practice but haven't really done much. I brought this question up in another forum, and I will here. If we were so hell bent on punishing the South Africans for their Apartheid, then why are we not doing the same thing with India, Pakistan and Egypt?

End ALL foreign aid. The answer to the question with India, Pakistan and Egypt, is race. No other reason that I can see.

greg334 · Jan 23, 2011

Race?

What do you mean race?

You mean culture?

Are we in the west supposed to 'influence' these countries by our standards (UN, WTO, WHO) or are we supposed to respect their culture in their own country?

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
Race?

What do you mean race?

You mean culture?

Are we in the west supposed to 'influence' these countries by our standards (UN, WTO, WHO) or are we supposed to respect their culture in their own country?

No, I meant race. Those in India, Pakistan and Egypt are primarily of a different race than those who were being oppressed in South Africa. Also South Africa involved a foreign power as the oppressor.

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
Race?

What do you mean race?

You mean culture?

Are we in the west supposed to 'influence' these countries by our standards (UN, WTO, WHO) or are we supposed to respect their culture in their own country?

No, I meant race. Those in India, Pakistan and Egypt are primarily of a different race than those who were being oppressed in South Africa. Also South Africa involved a foreign power as the oppressor.

greg334 · Jan 23, 2011

layoutshooter said:
No, I meant race. Those in India, Pakistan and Egypt are primarily of a different race than those who were being oppressed in South Africa. Also South Africa involved a foreign power as the oppressor.

What?

Race has nothing to do with the issue except with South Africa where the minority whites controlled the country. There wasn't any foreign power, SA was and still is a country that is governed internally and independent from the UK.

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
What?

Race has nothing to do with the issue except with South Africa where the minority whites controlled the country. There wasn't any foreign power, SA was and still is a country that is governed internally and independent from the UK.

The Colony of South Africa was founded by the Dutch East India Company. The Brits did not take over until 1815. The white (caucasian) European minority suppressed the black majority.

Those in India, Pakistan and Egypt are primarily caucasian and we don't care what happens to them. (venting)

South Africa: History, Geography, Government, and Culture — Infoplease.com

greg334 · Jan 23, 2011

layoutshooter said:
The white (caucasian) European minority suppressed the black majority.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107983.html

Actually I don't really care because they held power for more than 100 years. I wasn't there and the English along with other European countries had their hands in most of the world.

I think we should have done more on more important issues than worry about SA.

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
Actually I don't really care because they held power for more than 100 years. I wasn't there and the English along with other European countries had their hands in most of the world.

I think we should have done more on more important issues than worry about SA.

I don't really care either. That was none of our business. This murder is.

greg334 · Jan 23, 2011

That is true, but if we are going to meddle into other countries, like what Italy and Germany are doing to us right now with the drugs to kill our criminals, we might as well do it right and pick the right crimes to go after - chasing Nazis is one we shouldn't do but chasing slave traders within our border is.

layoutshooter · Jan 23, 2011

greg334 said:
That is true, but if we are going to meddle into other countries, like what Italy and Germany are doing to us right now with the drugs to kill our criminals, we might as well do it right and pick the right crimes to go after - chasing Nazis is one we shouldn't do but chasing slave traders within our border is.

I really don't care what Italy or Germany does. There are other good ways to nuke bad guys. Closing the borders would go a LONG way to stopping the slave/sex traders. Obama and the congress support this kind of crime or they would close the borders. I don't give a sack of "mouse droppings" what any of them say about this, their actions support it so they do. The Federal government is 100% at fault. They are too busy trying to wipe out the Constitution that do the job the REALLY IS theirs.