Mistrial Declared In Seattle Jewish Center Shooting Case - Naveed Haq
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A judge declared a mistrial Wednesday in the case of a man who stormed into a Jewish center two years ago and shot six women, killing one, as he ranted against Israel and the Iraq war.
Jurors had indicated in questions posed to the judge that they were hopelessly deadlocked and struggling to determine whether Naveed Haq, 32, was not guilty by reason of insanity, as he claimed.
King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas ended the jury’s deliberations in their eighth day.
The jurors reached a partial verdict on only one of the 15 counts against Haq, finding him not guilty of attempted first-degree murder of one of the women. But they couldn’t agree on the lesser charge of attempted second-degree murder or any of the other 14 charges, which included murder.
Terrorism:The calculated use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear
Haq held a teenage girl at gunpoint to force his way into the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on July 28, 2006. Once in the second-floor office, he began railing against U.S. policies and opened fire when someone tried to call 911. He shot some people in their cubicles, some in the hall, and one, Pamela Waechter, fatally as she fled down a stairwell.
An emergency operator eventually persuaded him to surrender.
Prosecutors quickly announced they hope to retry Haq this year, and representatives of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle expressed their disappointment at the mistrial.
“There is no argument Haq killed Pam. There is no argument he viciously shot five others. There is no argument that he made anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements. Somehow, all this was not enough,” said Jewish Federation President Richard Fruchter.
A MISTRIAL?! This is why the American justice system is flawed. This is why the entire country is flawed. Why is the mentally crippled can be allowed to buy guns?
Draconian measures must be taken against the mentally ill who commit ANY acts of violence.
As for Haq, anyone who is sits stoically during the trial and is smart enough to browse the internet for information on bullets is not mentally handicapped.
Have him stand in front of a firing squad wielding fully automatic rifles I say.
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