{"id":111227,"date":"2025-02-26T13:06:23","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T13:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/activist\/trial-starts-for-illinois-landlord-charged-with-2023-hate-crime-and-murder-of-palestinian-american-boy-cair-chicago\/"},"modified":"2025-02-26T13:06:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T13:06:23","slug":"trial-starts-for-illinois-landlord-charged-with-2023-hate-crime-and-murder-of-palestinian-american-boy-cair-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=111227","title":{"rendered":"Trial starts for Illinois landlord charged with 2023 hate crime and murder of Palestinian American boy \u2014 CAIR-Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"


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JOLIET, Ill. (AP) \u2014 The trial of a suburban Chicago landlord accused of murder, attempted murder and a hate crime<\/strong><\/a> in a 2023 attack on a Palestinian American woman and her young son is set to start Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Joseph Czuba, 73, is charged in the fatal stabbing of six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023. Authorities said the family was targeted because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023 with a Hamas attack on southern Israel.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Muslim boy remembered as kind, energetic by mourners in Chicago suburb<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Opening statements start Tuesday morning in a trial that is expected to last about a week.<\/p>\n

Czuba has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and other charges. His defense attorney, George Lenard, declined to comment before the end of the trial.<\/p>\n

The attack on the family in Plainfield, nearly 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Chicago, has renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination<\/strong><\/a> in the Chicago area\u2019s large and established Palestinian community. The proceedings also come amid rising hostility against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe firmly pray and hope that Mr. Czuba will be locked up for the rest of his life, so we can send a message that hate crimes against anyone on the basis of their religion and national origin are not tolerated,\u201d Joe Milburn, a staff attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told reporters Monday ahead of jury selection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prosecutors allege Czuba became increasing paranoid about the war because of listening to commentary on conservative talk radio. Shaheen told police that Czuba was upset over the war and attacked them after she had urged him to \u201cpray for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy \u2014 whose name was initially spelled Wadea Al-Fayoume by authorities \u2014 was stabbed 26 times. Shaheen had more than a dozen stab wounds and it took her weeks to recover.<\/p>\n

The murder charge in the indictment against Czuba describes the boy\u2019s death as the result of \u201cexceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.\u201d Czuba remained detained with prosecutors arguing that Czuba was a danger to Shaheen and others.<\/p>\n

Hundreds attended the boy\u2019s janazah, or funeral service, where the boy was remembered as kind and into sports and Legos.<\/p>\n

Separately, the father of the boy, who is divorced from Shaheen and did not live at the home, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n