Seattle shooting suspect won't face death

YNet ^ | Dec. 21, 2006

[Alouette]

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against man accused of shooting six people, one fatally, at Jewish charity because of suspect's long history of mental illness

Associated Press Published: 12.21.06, 08:25

Prosecutors said Wednesday they would not seek the death penalty against the man accused of shooting six people, one fatally, at a Jewish charity because of the suspect's long history of mental illness.

King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng said he based his decision on Naveed Haq's mental health records from the past decade, though he called the shooting "one of the most serious crimes that has ever occurred in this city."

Haq is charged with murder in the death of Pamela Waechter, 58, director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle's annual fundraising campaign, and with five counts of attempted murder in the attack at the federation's downtown offices on July 28.

If convicted, Haq would face life in prison without parole. He also faces charges of kidnapping and malicious harassment, the state's hate-crime law.

Jewish Federation officials declined immediate comment on the decision but scheduled a news conference for later Wednesday.

Haq, 31, a US-born Muslim, is accused of opening fire with two semiautomatic pistols at the Jewish center. He told authorities he was angered by the war in Iraq and US military co-operation with Israel .

According to a statement of probable cause, Haq told a 911 dispatcher: "These are Jews and I'm tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East."

A family friend told reporters last summer that Haq had been getting psychiatric help for 10 years, and hadn't been able to hold a job.

In March, Haq was arrested at a Benton County shopping mall after he was accused of climbing onto a raised coin fountain and exposing himself to young women.

'Significant mental health issues'

Maleng's spokesman, Dan Donohoe, wouldn't say what evidence of mental illness had been uncovered, and Haq's lawyer, Wesley Richards, wouldn't discuss his client's mental history.

"We're certainly glad the prosecutor recognized there are significant mental health issues in this case and that the death penalty was just not appropriate under these circumstances," Richards said.

He declined to say whether his client still wishes to plead guilty - as he tried to at a hearing this summer. The judge postponed the hearing on the plea, and Haq eventually pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors said Haq waited in the vestibule of the downtown Seattle building until 14-year-old Kelsie Burkum arrived to visit her aunt, Cheryl Stumbo. Prosecutors allege he put a gun into the girl's back and told her, "Open the door." He followed her up the stairs to the second floor, keeping the gun in her back, and started shooting when one woman tried to call 911, prosecutors said.

The shooting ended when Dayna Klein, then 17 weeks pregnant, persuaded the gunman to speak with an emergency operator after he shot her in the arm. He agreed to surrender, put his two guns down and walked out, hands on his head.

Klein gave birth to a healthy baby boy last month.

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

[samtheman]

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against man accused of shooting six people, one fatally, at Jewish charity because of suspect's long history of mental illness

I guess that clears just about 1/4 of the human race from ever being subject to the death penalty.

[mtbopfuyn]

Islamism, the new mental illness.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

”Prosecutors said Wednesday they would not seek the death penalty against the man accused of shooting six people, one fatally, at a Jewish charity because of the suspect's long history of mental illness.”

Now they know we won’t execute them because of mental illness - lesson learned.

[Alouette]

Just mix some Prozac into the lethal injection cocktail.

[Hegemony Cricket]

So, choosing to be totally evil is a mental illness?

[Covenantor]

NORM MALENG
KING COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

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NO DEATH PENALTY REQUEST IN JEWISH FEDERATION SHOOTING
News Release: December 20, 2006
For Information Contact: Dan Donohoe: 206-296-9029

King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng today announced that he will not seek the death penalty in the case of Naveed Haq, who is accused in the July 28, 2006 shooting at the Jewish Federation in Seattle that killed one woman and injured five others.

Maleng cited Haq's history of mental illness as an important factor in his decision not to seek the death penalty. "I view this crime as one of the most serious crimes that has ever occurred in this city," Maleng said.

Haq, 31, has been charged with aggravated first degree murder for the killing of Pamela Waechter, the aggravating factor being burglary first degree for his use of a gun to forcibly enter the locked front door of the Federation's downtown Seattle office building. Haq has also been charged with kidnapping in the first degree for forcing the 14-year-old niece of a Federation employee to let him through the secured door.

In addition, Haq is charged with five counts of attempted first degree murder for the shooting of five other Federation office workers: Dayna Klein, Carol Goldman, Christina Rexroad, Layla Bush, and Cheryl Stumbo. Haq also faces a charge of malicious harassment, the state's hate crime law, for his intentional targeting of the victims based on his belief that they were members of the Jewish faith.

When he announced the charges in August, Maleng said, "M ake no mistake: this was a hate crime. The attack on these women was an attack on the Jewish community, not only in Seattle, but throughout our nation and the world. The victims were killed and injured, not because of who they were as individuals, but because the defendant wanted to use them as symbols, to strike at members of the Jewish faith everywhere."

Maleng has met with each of the surviving shooting victims and members of the family of Pamela Waechter. He has also met with Jewish Federation leaders and a number leading rabbis in the region.

Maleng's decision to seek life in prison without possibility of release instead of the death penalty was guided by state law that requires the prosecutor to consider whether the case presents any "mitigating factors" as defined by statute.

The death penalty statute instructs the prosecutor to file the notice of intent to seek the death penalty "when there is reason to believe that there are not sufficient mitigating circumstances to merit leniency." RCW 10.95.040.

The statute lists mitigating circumstances to be considered, including:

1. Whether the defendant has or does not have a significant history, either as a juvenile or an adult, of prior criminal activity;

2. Whether the murder was committed while the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental disturbance;

3. Whether the victim consented to the act of murder;

4. Whether the defendant was an accomplice to a murder committed by another person where the defendant's participation was relatively minor;

5. Whether the defendant acted under duress or domination of another person;

6. Whether, at the time of the murder, the capacity of the defendant to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her conduct or to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of law was substantially impaired as a result of mental disease or defect. However, a person found to be mentally retarded under RCW 10.95.030(2) may in no case be sentenced to death;

7. Whether the age of the defendant at the time of the crime calls for leniency; and

8. Whether there is a likelihood that the defendant will post a danger to others in the future.

See RCW 10.95.070.

The Prosecuting Attorney's Office reviewed Haq's mental health treatment records accumulated over a ten-year period and considered the opinions of mental health experts who had reviewed the records. While Maleng found the mental health history to be an important mitigating factor in his decision regarding the death penalty, prosecutors believe that under Washington law, Haq should be held fully accountable in the criminal justice system for his alleged crimes.

The only other possible punishment for aggravated murder is life in prison without the possibility of release. Haq will be in court today for a case setting hearing before King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas at 3:30 p.m. in courtroom E-942.

Dated: December 20, 2006

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Contact Us: Phone:  206-296-9000 FAX:  206-296-9013 TDD:  206-296-0100

NORM MALENG King County Prosecuting Attorney W554 King County Courthouse 516 Third Avenue Seattle, WA  98104

E-Mail:  Prosecuting Attorney Usual Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday

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The details.

[Thrownatbirth]

If convicted, Haq would face life in prison without parole.

He'll die sooner this way.

[livius]

They won't seek the death penalty because he's a Muslim. Muslims get a free pass, especially if they're trying to kill Jews.

[Steely Tom]

I like your tagline.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Muslims get a free pass, especially if they're trying to kill Jews.

Bingo.

[moonman]

"Islamism, the new mental illness"

Next is ... Democrat Party members, although, Boortz, Limbaugh and Savage have been saying that for years.

[arthurus]

Islam is mental illness? That sounds right.

[Diogenesis]

"These were only American Jews and the poor Moslem was tired
of Israel and his people getting pushed around."

[moonman]

"He'll die sooner this way"

I wish! Not in most maximum security prisons in proximity to urban areas. First thing a lot of guys do when entering is join the largest organized group there ... Islam (Muslim), regardless of any previous faith.

[ripley]

"just mix some prozac into the lethal injection cocktail."

a little common sense goes a long way.

[Kenton]

Haq, 31, a US-born Muslim, is accused of opening fire with two semiautomatic pistols at the Jewish center. He told authorities he was angered by the war in Iraq and US military co-operation with Israel . According to a statement of probable cause, Haq told a 911 dispatcher: "These are Jews and I'm tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East." A family friend told reporters last summer that Haq had been getting psychiatric help for 10 years, and hadn't been able to hold a job.

Well, this is an interesting analysis. Kinda makes him look like DeNiro in "Taxi Driver".

I was wondering what sort of psychiatric history he has. Maybe it had something to do with serious anger issues, a sense of persecution, a mouth-foaming hatred of all things Judeo-Christian and the obvious juxtaposition between that and the way we do things here in America, the land of his birth?

Yeah, I just bet he hadn't been able to hold a job. I'm just surprised it took him this long to blow up so good.

He also faces charges of kidnapping and malicious harassment, the state's hate-crime law.

Well, thank God for a sane prosecutor on this one. Is this actually, possibly, a case where a bastard like this could get the needle because of a "hate crime" statute?

[Kenton]

Is this actually, possibly, a case where a bastard like this could get the needle because of a "hate crime" statute?

Excuse me. I see the answer to that question is right there in the title of the article. Damn.

[Thrownatbirth]

In the Pacific NW, I figured the largest prison group would be the Aryan Brotherhood or some other white supremist social club.