SEATTLE - The man charged with shooting up the Jewish Federation in Seattle three years ago is awaiting the decision of a jury - again.
Naveed Haq's first trial last year ended with a mistrial - after jurors could not come to terms on all charges.
His second trial entered its final stage Thursday as attorneys made their closing arguments in the case.
Haq, 34, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the July 2006 shootings, in which Pam Waechter, the federation's 58-year-old campaign director, was killed. Five employees - Cheryl Stumbo, Carol Goldman, Dayna Klein, Christina Rexroad and Layla Bush - were wounded.
Now jurors must decide whether Haq should be convicted and go to prison - or found not guilty by reason of insanity and go to a mental hospital.
This second trial is very different from the first in many ways - but two differences really stand out.
First, the prosecutor reduced the number of charges from 15 to eight - one count of aggravated first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of unlawful imprisonment and one count of malicious harassment.
And second, the judge allowed prosecutors to play recordings of Naveed Haq's phone conversations with his mother while he was in jail.
In one conversation, he is heard to say, "Whatever, mom - I did it purposefully." His mother says, "No, no, no, no." Haq says, "No, mom, I did it by purpose. You'd be proud of me. Now I'm going to heaven."
Haq's mother was in the courtroom as the recording was played, and she sobbed as she listened.
Hearing his voice was also difficult for the women who survived being shot that day.
"Just hearing his voice saying those things. ... It certainly had a big impact on me. You know I know what happened," says one of the shooting victims, Cheryl Stumbo.
In another recorded conversation with his mother, Haq said, "I did the right thing - no, no, no, I got the Jews. ... I don't feel bad about what I did."
Defense attorney Christopher Swabe tried to spin the evidence in support of Haq's claim of insanity.
"He thinks even then, that he did the right thing," Swabe told the jury. "That's the product of a mental illness."
But the prosecution says Haq's actions were premeditated, and that he planned the attack in advance.
Deputy prosecutor Erin Ehlert described how Haq started buying weapons almost two weeks before the shooting. Then he concealed them in his laptop bag as he entered the center.
The fact that Haq shot the six women is not in dispute - in fact, Haq has admitted that.
But the defense told the jury they have the power to find Haq not guilty by reason of insanity, putting him in a mental hospital - a place that's safe for all.
Cheryl Stumbo says, "I just hope they come to a decision quickly - that they come to a decision - we can't go through this again."
If Haq is convicted he faced life in prison without parole.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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If Naveed Haq is insane, based on his express desire to engage in jihad and kill Jews, one could conclude that followers of radical Islam are defacto insane, and a likely threat to others.
Surprised that a stale lefty rag like Tikkun would go this route.
they seem to vote the cattle car ticket, every time. Go figure????....
Interesting read but Spiritual Progressives?
Tikkun is a major lefty rag but great name choice eh?
...unless Hussein pardons him...
The sad thing about this kind of nonsensical rant is that people will stumble over Mel Gibson, one way or another, and forget about Naveed Haq.
No, Jonathan, you leftist idiot, there is no moral equivalency between some sort of drunken slip of the tongue and deliberately setting out to kill Jews. Unlike you and your idiot leftist friends, most American conservatives and conservative Christians side with Israel.
You think Obama’s going to fix things for Israel and the Jews? Is that why you voted for him? Because I’ll bet you did.
KIRO TV.com: Seattle - "JURORS HEAR PHONE CALLS IN JEWISH FEDERATION SHOOTER TRIAL" (SNIPPET: "During the calls, Haq bragged of being a celebrity and said he was motivated by a desire to be a Muslim martyr, something that seemed to surprise his parents. Mother: I'm just afraid to tell you. you are not feeling well -- your mind. Haq: No, I'm not, I'm a Jihad, OK. Mother: No you are not. Haq: Yes I am. That's the path I've chosen. Mother: Huh? No, you did not. That's your mind talking. Haq: That's what I'm telling you. I did this for a reason. I wanted to be a martyr. I wanted to die on the battlefield.") (Note: Audio included.) (Updated November 5, 2009, 9:48 am PST)
KOMO NEWS.com: Seattle - "VICTIMS RELIVE TERROR AT HAQ'S RETRIAL" (SNIPPET: "Jurors heard the tape of the 911 call during which Haq himself addresses the operator. "This is a hostage situation. I have a hostage," said the caller. "this is Naveed Haq." The dispatcher is then heard trying to rationalize with Haq, and asking him what he wants. "This is a hostage situation. I want these Jews out," Haq is heard responding.") (Updated October 22, 2009, 5:46 pm PST)
SEATTLEPI.com - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: "DID JEWISH FEDERATION SUSPECT BELIEVE HE WAS A 'JIHADI'? Jail phone calls, claims of jihad at issue as trial approaches" by Levi Pulkkinen (SNIPPET: "The jail calls, Haq's attorneys contend, show Haq making "nonsense claims that he wanted to be a martyr, that he was a jihadi, and that his parents should be proud of him."" SNIPPET: "In a search of Haq's homes in the Tri-Cities, Seattle police recovered a prayer written by Haq four days before the shooting. In it, Haq apparently complained that supporters of Israel had hijacked American foreign policy and expressed concerns that American-made weapons were being used in the Israel-Lebanon war.") (Last updated September 27, 2009 8:48 p.m.PT)
SEATTLEPI.com - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: "HAQ JURY COULD NOT AGREE ON 'INTENT TO MURDER,' JUROR SAYS Premeditation, not insanity issue, dominated debate" by Tracy Johnson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A few jurors thought Naveed Haq was guilty, but many apparently weren't convinced that he went to the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle intending to kill anyone.") (Last updated June 5, 2008, 10:51 p.m. PT)
JEWISH BREAKING NEWS - blog (JTA): Seattle - "PROSECUTION RESTS IN SEATTLE SHOOTING" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Seattle Police Det. Thomas Luckie, a computer forensics expert, said that among the hundreds of sites he visited were scores of pornography sites, Muslim and Middle East news sites, sites of Jewish members of the U.S. Congress and the site of the American Israel Political Action Committee/ Luckie said the searches on the day before the shootings were broad at first but over time became more targeted.") (May 1, 2008)
SEATTLE TIMES.com: "VICTIM PREGNANT AT TIME OF JEWISH FEDERATION SHOOTINGS TESTIFIES IN HAQ TRIAL" by Natalie Singer (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "With Haq's gun trained on her head, Klein offered him the receiver and then crouched quietly in a corner, she testified. "He began to state that ... he would like to talk to [television talk-show host] Larry King and the Jews ... need to get out of Lebanon and Iraq. This is his Hezbollah, this is his personal statement."") (Updated April 21, 2008, 02:52 pm)
SEATTLEPI.com - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: "JEWISH FEDERATION SHOOTING VICTIM BREAKS DOWN DURING TESTIMONY 'He had the gun at my head the entire time'" by Tracy Johnson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Panicked but undeterred, Klein gave information to the emergency operator and eventually offered Haq the phone. He took it and began ranting about Jews and how his people had "been getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East."") (Last updated April 21, 2008, 9:33 p.m. PT)
SEATTLE TIMES.com: "11 NEW CHARGES FILED IN JEWISH FEDERATION SHOOTINGS; DEFENDANT PLEADS INSANITY" by Christine Clarridge (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Haq is accused of forcing his way into the secure Belltown offices of the federation on July 28 by holding a gun to the back of a 14-year-old girl. He carried two guns, court documents allege, and spewed anti-Semitic statements as he made his way through the office, randomly shooting people he encountered as some screamed and tried to escape or hide. The shooting came a day after the FBI had warned Jewish organizations nationwide to be on alert after Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon and al-Qaida's second in command urged that the war raging in the Middle East be carried to the U.S. Haq reportedly told operators in a 911 call during the shooting, "These are Jews. I want these Jews to get out."") (May 30, 2007, 11:20 am)
WorldNetDaily.com: "1 Dead, 5 Hurt in Seattle Terror" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Haq's father was a founding member of the Islamic Centre of Tri-Cities in Richland. He and his wife moved to Pasco three years ago. According to Chris Richey of Everett, Haq had been his neighbor until two weeks ago, when he abruptly moved. The landlady at their apartment told Richey Haq was going to Pakistan. Haq spoke often about guns and politics, said Richey, and didn't like President Bush. A law-enforcement source said Haq had a licence to carry a concealed weapon.") (July 29, 2006)
Haq should be sent to Perdition..