20 yo Daughter hit-and-run by her father dies from injuries-(Honor Killing)

[Toler]

Woman in Peoria hit-and-run incident dies from injuries
by Dustin Gardiner - Nov. 2, 2009 03:14 PM
The Arizona Republic
A 20-year-old Valley woman has died of injuries sustained in what prosecutors are calling an “honor killing.”

Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, of Glendale, is accused of running over his daughter, Noor Almaleki, and another woman in his Jeep Cherokee because he was infuriated with his daughter for becoming “too Westernized.”

Noor Almaleki died Monday of injuries she received during the Oct. 20 attack.
Peoria police said charges against Almaleki, who is in a Maricopa County jail on two counts of aggravated assault, will be upgraded, though a spokesman wasn't sure what the exact charges would be.

Social experts say honor killings are an accepted practice in Iraqi tribal society, where family members feel they must kill a woman who shames them by not adhering to traditional Muslim or Iraqi values.

Family members said Almaleki was outraged after his daughter married a man in Iraq but returned to the Valley to live with a boyfriend and his mother in Surprise. The other victim, 43-year-old Amal Edan Khalaf, is apparently the boyfriend's mother.

Police said Almaleki fled the country after the attack, driving to Mexico and later taking a plane to London. He was detained by British authorities and extradited to Atlanta last week.

Speaking before a Maricopa County judge over the weekend, county prosecutor Stephanie Low said Almaleki has admitted purposefully running down his daughter.

“By his own admission, this was an intentional act and the reason was that his daughter had brought shame on him and his family,” Low said. “This was an attempt at an honor killing.”

Almaleki did not address the accusations and spoke only to ask the judge about getting a court-appointed attorney.

Low said additional family members are suspected of assisting Almaleki in his escape.

“We can't be naive and ignore that there's a cultural aspect to this and there may be people who would support him, including his family, but also others who share his beliefs,” she said.

Citing Almaleki's flight, Low asked the judge to take special precautions to prevent him from running again. Bail was set at $5 million.


http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/2009/11/02/20091102noor1102-CR.html
Calls to Almaleki's family members were not returned Monday.


Edit to clarify subject line.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/12/22/20091222honorkill1222.html
Man charged with murder in 'honor killing'
Almaleki accused of running over daughter

by Dustin Gardiner - Dec. 22, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
An Iraqi immigrant accused of slaying his daughter in an "honor killing" has been charged with first-degree murder and could face the death penalty, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said Monday.

Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, of Glendale, is accused of using his Jeep Cherokee to run over his daughter, 20-year-old Noor Almaleki, and another woman in a Peoria parking lot on Oct. 20. His daughter died of her injuries.

Almaleki was reportedly furious with his daughter for becoming "too Westernized," police said.

Prosecutors have labeled Noor Almaleki's death an "honor killing," saying the elder Almaleki killed his daughter because she dishonored the family by not following traditional Iraqi or Muslim values.

She reportedly married a man in Iraq and returned to Arizona to live with a boyfriend and his mother in Surprise.

Thomas announced Almaleki was also being charged with attempted first-degree murder in the attack on his daughter's friend, Amal Khalaf, 43. Khalaf is the boyfriend's mother and is expected to recover from her injuries, police said.

Almaleki was charged with two additional felony counts for leaving the scene of a serious injury accident.
Thomas said his office is still determining whether to seek the death penalty for Almaleki. He called the case "tragic," saying the county will prosecute Almaleki to the full extent.

At Almaleki's initial court appearance on Oct. 31, county prosecutor Stephanie Low said he admitted deliberately running down his daughter.

"By his own admission, this was an intentional act, and the reason was that his daughter had brought shame on him and his family," Low said. "This was an attempt at an honor killing."

Almaleki was a fugitive for about a week, fleeing for Mexico and later taking a plane to London, investigators said.

He was detained by British authorities and extradited.

[trimmonthelake]

How could you do this to your child.   

[MuffyBee]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/02/19/20100219honor-killing.html
Dad accused in 'honor killing' will not face death penalty
February 19. 2010

A Glendale man accused of killing his daughter in an "honor killing" will not face the death penalty.

After sparring with the suspect's defense attorney over its death-penalty-review process, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office has said it will not seek death for Faleh Almaleki, 49.
The Iraqi immigrant is accused of killing his daughter, 20-year-old Noor Almaleki, for being "too Westernized."

Police say he used his Jeep Cherokee to run down his daughter and another woman in a Peoria parking lot Oct. 20. Noor later died of her injuries.

Almaleki is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and two counts of leaving the scene of a serious accident. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The decision not to seek the death penalty comes after Almaleki's attorney, Billy Little, a public defender, asked a judge to take special precautions to ensure the County Attorney's Office wouldn't wrongly seek the death penalty because Almaleki is a Muslim.

Little requested that the office make public the process it uses to determine whether to seek capital punishment.

"An open process provides some level of assurance that there is no appearance that a Christian is seeking to execute a Muslim for racial, political, religious or cultural beliefs," Little wrote, referring to County Attorney Andrew Thomas' Christian faith.

Laura Reckart, a county prosecutor, responded that Little's concern about the "supposed bias" of the office's death-penalty-review process was "without legitimate factual or legal basis."

She wrote that the state can seek the death penalty for any person convicted of first-degree murder if it can prove the existence of at least one aggravating factor, not because of religion.

However, the debate stopped there. On Tuesday, Reckart filed a motion indicating prosecutors would not seek the death penalty.

Mike Scerbo, a spokesman for the County Attorney's Office, declined to comment on the decision.

Prosecutors said Almaleki has admitted killing his daughter because she disgraced the family by not following traditional Iraqi or Muslim values.

They liken the case to honor killings that occur in the Middle East, Africa and other parts of the world. In tribal societies where the practice occurs, male family members feel they must kill a rebellious relative who shames them by not adhering to traditional values.

Noor had reportedly married a man in Iraq and returned to Arizona to live with a boyfriend and his mother in Surprise, police said.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/19/AR2010021902189.html
Dad accused of killing daughter won't face death
February 19, 2010
PHOENIX -- Prosecutors in Arizona say a father accused of running down and killing his daughter in what has been described as an "honor killing" will not face the death penalty.

Maricopa County prosecutors announced the decision Thursday in the case against 48-year-old Faleh Almaleki.

The Iraqi immigrant is accused of killing his daughter by using his Jeep Cherokee to run her down along with another woman in a Peoria parking lot Oct. 20 because she had become too Westernized.

Noor Almaleki later died of her injuries.

Faleh Almaleki is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and two counts of leaving the scene of a serious accident.
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He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.