March 9, 2011

"The prosecution has never asked, who started it?... They never asked the question, who started it? That is the core question that needs to be answered."

Said, during the trial, by Muzzammil Hassan, who was convicted of murdering his wife — stabbing her 40 times and beheading her.

84 comments:

kent said...

"The prosecution has never asked, who started it?... They never asked the question, who started it?"

Shorter Defense: "BITCH HAD IT COMING."

Franklin said...

Seriously though, I'm a Christianist neocon teabagging rightwing nutjob and there are nuts in every religion. The man's a psychopath, lock him up for good.

Bob_R said...

The first 38 stabs were in self defense.

Anonymous said...

This had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Islam!

You would have to be a complete bigot and racist to think that it did.

Christians are beheading their wives every day in Iowa.

kent said...

"... and, Your Honor, in sentencing my client, I urge the court to remember that he is, after all, a widower."

I'm Full of Soup said...

Sounds so crazy, he must have hired Charlie Sheen to be his attorney.

I'm a Shaaaaark said...

I'm guessing this means he won't be producing his television program anymore?

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)




Did they try the Chewbacca Defense?

MadisonMan said...

The best line in the story is at the end:

Muzzammil Hassan founded Bridge TV in 2004. The American-Islamic station was designed to combat the negative stereotype of Muslims post-9/11. His wife was its general manager.

Does he think that killing his wife will help combat stereotypes too?

traditionalguy said...

To a Muslim man, any disrespect is hard to take...but from a woman he owns it is impossible to take it. Ergo, she made him do it.

Fritz said...

Well, if she started it, I can see the first 39 stabbings, but not the beheading.

DADvocate said...

Shorter Defense: "BITCH HAD IT COMING."

As we say down South, "She/he needed killin'." It's an accepted defense in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Emil Blatz said...

As we say down South, "She/he needed killin'." It's an accepted defense in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Applicable in Florida as well.

TWM said...

"As we say down South, "She/he needed killin'." It's an accepted defense in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi."

I've lived in three of those states and I don't believe it is acceptable any longer - at least for men. There was this one recent instance where a preacher's wife shotgunned her husband and got off cause he was allegedly abusive in the past (although not atthe time she offed him - she ambushed him)

I think it works better as a defense for women than men. Obviously this case is an example of that.

Leland said...

Yeah, the prosecution is really risking an overturn of the conviction on the appeal. I mean, the appellant court will be ask, "who started it". The prosecution should have just gone with mutilation of the corpse. Because the stabbing was self-defense; but the beheading wasn't necessary. Just saying...

Oh wait... this just in... Beheading is necessary in Sharia Law...

Hope the guy doesn't live Oklahoma.

Anonymous said...

Oh wait... this just in... Beheading is necessary in Sharia Law...

I thought I told you:

This had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Islam!

You would have to be a complete bigot and racist to think that it did.

So, you are OFFICIALLY a complete bigot and racist! Congratulations.

Please behead yourself.

lemondog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
lemondog said...

There for the grace of God......

According to Wiki, he was married twice before with divorce grounds of domestic violence and abuse.

Prior to his marriage to Aasiya Zubair, Hassan was married twice before: first, to a Caucasian American woman, Janice, with whom he had two children, Michael and Sonia; second, for 13 months to a Pakistani-American Muslim woman, Sadia. According to Sadia's cousin, Zerqa Abid, both of his earlier wives filed for divorce on the same grounds of severe domestic violence and abuses.

Anonymous said...

Lost in all this clever chit-chat:

Muzzammil Hassan founded Bridge TV in 2004. The American-Islamic station was designed to combat the negative stereotype of Muslims post-9/11.

How did that work out?

I guess that depends on how you look at beheading.

Patrick said...

Madison Man beat me to the punch - the money quote of the article as far as I'm concerned.

"Epic Fail" as the kids say.

WV: dimmin (isn't that what Muslims consider "good" non-believers?"

Toad Trend said...

This guy deserves everything he gets.

A sociopath-type (words of the DA Frank Sedita) and pathological liar, Mo Hassan sawed his wife's head off with a brand new hunting knife. This, after 45 or so stab wounds to the body later. The beheading was as he had planned.

This murder and trial can be summed up this way; Brutal Murder and the Theater of the Absurd.

This man 'fired' 4 attorneys and ended up 'representing' himself with the aid of the last attorney that agreed to assist.

There were many surreal moments, namely when he would ask himself questions, under the careful watch of the judge.

You can't make this stuff up!

wv - lateoni

Reheat the mac

Oglebay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Oglebay said...

I know I'm new around these parts, but have to say it sucks to see casual racism happening here.

Unknown said...

In this country, the law doesn't care who started it - only whodunit.

DADvocate said...

Shorter Defense: "BITCH HAD IT COMING."

As we say down South, "She/he needed killin'." It's an accepted defense in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.


I thought that only worked if she caught him with her.

tree hugging sister said...

And the poor, confused bastard couldn't be put away for life withOUT the possibility of parole, because that's reserved for SERIOUS haters, like cop-killers. (Que?!?!?) Wife killerbeheaders...not so much. Everyone hates their wife ~ or is at least seriously sick of her shiite ~ once in a while, right?
2d degree it is!

I noticed some more of that Muslim blinder thing on TV the other night, when Michelle and Hillary were handing out wimmins' medals at the White House: Odd how World News Tonight fails to mention Islam/Sharia as reason behind women's subjugation when they laud their bravery breaking "free".

Aridog said...

"Muzzammil Hassan was convicted in February of the monstrous murder of his spouse, Aasiya Hassan. It took the jury less than an hour to find him guilty of second-degree murder.

... [snip] ...

The defendant viciously killed ... and desecrated [his wife's] body because six days earlier she had dared to file for divorce ...

... [snip] ...

The 46-year-old lured his wife to the television studio where the couple worked on Feb. 12, 2009. He then attacked her with a pair of hunting knives, stabbed her 40 times, then severed her head."


Yee Gawd ... Will one or more of lawyers here please tell me what it takes to constitute "First Degree Murder?" Is "premeditation" any part of it anymore?

Oclarki said...

Oglebay,

What "race" is muslim?

BJM said...

@Olgebay

...but have to say it sucks to see casual racism happening here.

As a regular commenter I have to say it sucks to see a reader who cannot detect sarcasm happening here.

Oglebay said...

Okayokay...I was being reactionary. Will hang out more before I dive in.

MikeR said...

Oglebay, are you taking the comments about Islam as being racist? Why can't they be serious comments about the state of Islam today?

SteveR said...

Schiller said we didn't have enough Muslim voices on TV and now we have one less. How will we ever see the truth?

Oglebay said...

@mikeR
I think they are serious comments about Islam today. But I think I would argue it is unfair to conflate one Muslim man's murder of his wife with a billion folks who follow Islam. There are plenty of Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Bears fans and Packers fans that beat their wives. To focus on the fact that he is Muslim -- and to draw a direct line between his faith and this murder, and to juxtapose this, to say...Christians in Iowa, is to mix up the likely deeper issues in this man. More to my point, it conflates this type of murder as something purely Islamic, which, it is not. But to assign it this trait does not help us understand each others faith and beliefs. I think that is what upset me. I was being too callous at first, my apologies.

Anonymous said...

Oglebay, that is seriously stupid.

This murderer actually purported to speak for Muslims.

VanderDouchen said...

@oglebay

Can you provide a link to murder statistics involving domestic dispute beheadings within the United States by religous or ethnic demographic to support your thesis, please? I obviously need more education.

Oglebay said...

@shoutingthomas
Ah, you're right. My bad. Since this guy speaks for Muslims we should probably take his obviously sane ideas seriously and conflate them with anyone who follow Islam.

DADvocate said...

There are plenty of Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Bears fans and Packers fans that beat their wives. To focus on the fact that he is Muslim -- and to draw a direct line between his faith and this murder,...

To deny a strong possibility of the line between his Muslim faith and the murder is aggressive ignorance. Packer fans don't beat their wives, only Bears fans do that.

Hoosier Daddy said...

But I think I would argue it is unfair to conflate one Muslim man's murder of his wife with a billion folks who follow Islam.

Perhaps its unfair but when Islamic militants produce snuff videos of their victims being beheaded, it certainly doesn't help the image this guy was trying to help foster.

Also followers of a specific religion aren't a racial group. FYI.

Leland said...

to draw a direct line between his faith and this murder

I don't know about others, but I wasn't drawing a line from his Muslim faith to the murder. My line was from his Muslim faith to the beheading. Yeah, domestic violence leading to murder happens across religions and secular society. But beheadings? That's pretty exclusive to Filipino tribesmen, Mexican drug lords, and Muslims. And this guy admitted to being a member of the latter group. I'm just saying.

TWM said...

"I know I'm new around these parts, but have to say it sucks to see casual racism happening here."

I know how you feel . . . it sucks to see people claim racism where none exists around here as well.

The followers of the Religion of Peace are made up of many races. How short-sighted of you not to know this.

MikeR said...

"I think I would argue it is unfair to conflate one Muslim man's murder of his wife with a billion folks who follow Islam." Well, I agree that it might be unfair. But say that honest statistics show that there are far more honor killings and wife murders among Muslims than among Christians or Jews? (I haven't looked up any statistics.) Could one wonder whether there is a cultural attitude in parts of Muslim society that allows these things in a way that American society just doesn't? I would say that that should be acceptable discussion, just as we should be able to wonder about whether black culture in America is right now having a terrible problem with absentee fathers, without being in any way racist against blacks.

TWM said...

"I think I would argue it is unfair to conflate one Muslim man's murder of his wife with a billion folks who follow Islam."

No, just the men. And even then mostly just the radical orthodox Muslim men.

Your guess is as good as mine as to how many that is.

Anonymous said...

Ah, you're right. My bad. Since this guy speaks for Muslims we should probably take his obviously sane ideas seriously and conflate them with anyone who follow Islam.

Not a bad idea.

The religious zeal of the anti-bigot brigade has descended into madness.

Not surprise, considering the 50 years of indoctrination that it is evil to impute any common characteristics to any group.

The outcome is the kind of mind lock and vapours afflicting this Oglebay dingbat.

It's gotten so bad that, to this day, President Obama has refused to acknowledge that the Fort Hood killings were a terrorist assault, despite the fact that the murderer was screaming "Allahu Akbar!"

Must not see what is right in front of your face. That would make you a racist. Better that Americans die in a massacre than to confront reality. Because that would make you a bigot.

Oglebay said...

On the criticisms of my use of 'racism' -- you're right. It was callous and reactionary. Apologies. While I cannot, off the top of my head (...), think of any domestic dispute be-headings (would you consider a brother cutting off the head of his sister a domestic dispute? Google Kerby Revelus) -- I think my point is that to compare this Muslim man's actions to the whole of Islam, or to compare it to the actions of other domestic abusers in other religions, obfuscates the actual issues that belief differences raise.

Anonymous said...

I think my point is that to compare this Muslim man's actions to the whole of Islam, or to compare it to the actions of other domestic abusers in other religions, obfuscates the actual issues that belief differences raise.

Bullshit. It explicates the issue.

Are you in possession of your mental faculties?

How badly did they beat you in Diversity Training?

Leland said...

I think my point is that to compare this Muslim man's actions to the whole of Islam, or to compare it to the actions of other domestic abusers in other religions, obfuscates the actual issues that belief differences raise.

Care to rewrite this? Or are you suggesting it was a bad idea to obfuscate what this man did by comparing it to abuse from other religions, because his beliefs are different from those other religions?

Methadras said...

Was it an honor killing because that should get him absolved right away.

Anonymous said...

Under sharia law he would go free.

Methadras said...

Oglebay said...

@shoutingthomas
Ah, you're right. My bad. Since this guy speaks for Muslims we should probably take his obviously sane ideas seriously and conflate them with anyone who follow Islam.


I think it's better for you to lurk. First of all, 10% of islam which is roughly 110 million people are radical, beheading nut jobs that we are fighting around the world. The other 90% do nothing about it. The entire religion is fairly complicit in it's goals and aims about what they really stand for, which is to say, death. Islam is a death cult always has been, always will be. If you don't understand that, then you have been blind for a long long time.

VanderDouchen said...

@oglesbay

You google it. You wouldn't be equating voodoo/animus with Islam, would you? The Muslims will behead you for that, you know.

TWM said...

The connection from this particular killing to Islam is pretty compelling in my opinion.

Yes, there is domestic violence in all cultures, but the method of killing used in this instance, and which is the norm in that culture- beheading, stoning - is directly drawn from Islamic teaching.

Oglebay said...

I would like to try and respond to all of you, because you raise some good points (even if I think some of you are taking correct assertions about conservative interpretations of Islam and their relation to how followers of Islam behave as a whole). But I have to get back to work. Will try and be back later.

Kevin said...

Why doesn't the racist media comment on the frequent spousal beheadings among Wisconsin Lutherans?

kent said...

The Stoning of Soraya M.: A True Story

Burned Alive: A Survivor of an "Honor Killing" Speaks Out

Infidel

Now They Call Me Infidel

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

Disfigured: A Saudi Woman's Story of Triumph over Violence

Damn these "racist" women. Damn them, I say!

The Drill SGT said...

Aridog said...
Yee Gawd ... Will one or more of lawyers here please tell me what it takes to constitute "First Degree Murder?" Is "premeditation" any part of it anymore?


NY state defines first degree murder as cop killing, murder for hire, multiple killins, terrorism, etc

normal premeditated single deaths are second degree

The Crack Emcee said...

Ladies and Gentleman, THIS is a misogynist.

Please make a note of it.

TosaGuy said...

"Christians are beheading their wives every day in Iowa."

That wouldn't be happening if they were forced to join a union.

Leland said...

But I have to get back to work. Will try and be back later.

You say so brave Sir Robin.

Trooper York said...

Hey Crack you know the only woman who would be totally safe marrying a Muslim?

Mary Katherine Ham.

You know under Sharia Law he couldn't touch her. Just sayn'

Shanna said...

Wow.

I'm a Shaaaaark said...

I know I'm new around these parts, but have to say it sucks to see casual racism happening here.

Shut up, whitey.

Amy said...

@Trooper - that post made me burst out laughing.
The clever-est commenters really are at the Althouse blog!
Thanks!

Ankur said...

While an argument can be made that the "mode of killing" doesn't make a difference - a bullet is as deadly as a beheading - I don't think it is a valid argument.

Not only should it be considered a murder, but it should also be considered torture, and cruel and unusual violence.

If the "mode of killing" didn't matter, then we would still have firing squads, public hangings, guillotines and such.

I've seen some serious misogyny in different parts of the world - but the utter senselessness of this just boggled the mind.

And yes - Islam has institutionalized misogyny. Lets not beat around the bush. As much as I respect the right of islamic countries to run their countries the way they want to, lets not pretend that women there have the same opportunities as women in the west.

There is plenty of misogyny in India as well (and India is not a muslim country). It is changing..and changing rapidly, but in many of the villages and small towns, the role of women is essentially to cook, clean, and bear children - and they cannot break out of that even if they want to.

test said...

"Christians are beheading their wives every day in Iowa."

As we discussed just the other day this happens routinely in the country of Africa.

Toad Trend said...

@TWM

"The connection from this particular killing to Islam is pretty compelling in my opinion."

What makes this even more bizarre is the fact that this Mo Hassan ran a 'muslim outreach' community-access TV station. The purpose was to provide the community a positive message of muslim life. I know, it existed where I live, so when this happened with the murder and all it raised a lot of eyebrows.

So Oglebay, you go ahead and sell your message of 'fairness' if you wish, there are certain 'attributes' to all of this that are undeniable. Beheading is a dictate in terms of those that bring shame or opposition, in the view of the radical islamist. Maybe its only 10% of the total but I will tell you the other 90% are scared shitless of those 10%, the 90% think the other 10% are batshit crazy and they are right.

virgil xenophon said...

Kent/

You actually have the temerity to argue using historical facts. How quaint..

Trooper York said...

Marshal said...
"Christians are beheading their wives every day in Iowa."

Jeeeze. Don't tell reader-i-am that!

AllenS said...

Oglebay said...
Will hang out more before I dive in

Then Oglebay dives in and finds out there was no water in the pool.

LawGirl said...

Marshal sez: As we discussed just the other day this happens routinely in the country of Africa.

Not that I'm arguing the fact that this happens in parts of Africa, but, please realize . . . there is no "country of Africa." Africa is a huge continent made up of many diverse countries. I've been blessed to visit several of them and there are significant differences between them, especially between those closest to the equator and those on the northern coast. I have not been to the country of South Africa, so cannot compare it, but I'm sure it is quite unique, too.

LawGirl said...

shoutingthoams sez: Christians are beheading their wives every day in Iowa.

Really? Every day? Is that why it was such a big story when the so-called "Christian" was recently convicted for it???

The difference between some wing-nut claiming to be a Christian doing horrible things to women and someone who follows the "Religion of Peace" doing horrible things to women is that the self-proclaimed "Christian" who does it is acting counter to the tenets of his professed religion, whereas the Muslim is acting directly in line with the tenets of his.

Under Islam, women are little more than chattel. Christianity, by contrast, was the first widely-held worldview to recognize the value and worth of women. The gospels portray Jesus as speaking to women to whom he was not related, which was completely verboten in his day. He also had several women in his inner circle. Such a thing is anathema to the teachings of Islam.

Paul said...

I can't say who started the argument with him but I can say the prison will end it.

He didn't need 25 years. He needed 1000 years in prison. Let him rot.

Nomadic100 said...

Oglebay,

You seem outnumbered here. Well, let me tell you I'm on your side! Just because 99% of all terrorist attacks are committed by Muslims (the most recent exception being the Arizona murders perpetrated by a schizophrenic leftist) and just because 99% of all honor killings are committed by Muslims, you must not back off your assertions!

I'm sure there is some statistical test, somewhere, which will conclusively demonstrate that your opponents don't have a leg to stand on! So hire a statistical consultant and come back with a far more powerful argument.

Shanna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shanna said...

Not that I'm arguing the fact that this happens in parts of Africa, but, please realize . . . there is no "country of Africa."

Lawgirl, I suspect this was a joke. One of the liberal commenters (I believe it was Dose of Sanity) referred everyone the other day to the "country of Africa" as a Christian country that does bad things.

Anonymous said...

Don't overlook the possibility that this was the pilot episode for a Muslim reality show on Bridge TV. I suppose the show is cancelled now.

LawGirl said...

Lawgirl, I suspect this was a joke. One of the liberal commenters (I believe it was Dose of Sanity) referred everyone the other day to the "country of Africa" as a Christian country that does bad things.

Whew. It makes sense as a joke. As a straight-forward statement . . . notsomuch. Thanks!

The Dude said...

Casual racism? Some of us take it very seriously, especially when we are talking about that race of muzzies from the country of Africa. Oglebay, you are too stupid to qualify as a douchenozzle.

And how about exhibit A in the latest example of peaceful islam - a muzzie named Muzzammil - what, too many Mohammeds already?

WV: fensi - runs around the yardi.

test said...

"Africa is a huge continent made up of many diverse countries."

Funny how the Tea Party can be summed up in one word but everyone else is diverse. The miracle of narrative!

Fred4Pres said...

Who started it? Yeah, she probably spoke back to him. That of course justifys beheading her.

He should never get out of prison.

LawGirl said...

"Africa is a huge continent made up of many diverse countries."

Funny how the Tea Party can be summed up in one word but everyone else is diverse. The miracle of narrative!


Oh, the Tea Party is diverse, too. Just because the NAACP has tried to make it something else doesn't change its essential character as a quite diverse movement (there isn't really even an organization, to my knowledge, just a movement).

But, . . . er . . . how did this get to be about the Tea Party? o_O

Big Mike said...

I never understood the Muslim concept of "honor killing." Where is there honor in murdering a defenseless person who is unarmed and who you outweigh by (apparently) 150 pounds at least?

William said...

I don't get the beheading. It seems superfluous to behead someone after they have been killed and an extremely messy way of killing someone who is still alive. Spurting aortic blood goes all over the place. Remember, she won't be around to clean up the mess. Is there something in the Koran that explicitly recommends beheading? I think Oglebay is probably correct. Westernized, liberal Muslims just shoot their wives?

jr565 said...

at least he didn't cut off the arms legs and feet. Because that would be overkill.

Clyde said...

Allahu akbar, baby.

Nichevo said...

Blogger The Drill SGT said...

Aridog said...
Yee Gawd ... Will one or more of lawyers here please tell me what it takes to constitute "First Degree Murder?" Is "premeditation" any part of it anymore?

NY state defines first degree murder as cop killing, murder for hire, multiple killings, terrorism, etc

normal premeditated single deaths are second degree

3/9/11 2:28 PM



OMG that is so wrong!!! When did that change?