Arizona court convicts Iraqi man for “honour killing” of westernised daughter

WASHINGTON - An Arizona court has found an Iraqi immigrant guilty of a second-degree murder in an “honour killing” case, wherein the convict ran over his 20-year-old daughter because she had become too westernised.

Faleh Almaleki had crushed his daughter with his jeep on October 20, 2009 for bringing dishonour to his family, and also hit and seriously injured the mother of his daughter’s boyfriend, CBS News reports.

Defence lawyers called Noor Almaleki’s death and Amal Khalaf’s injury an accident, adding that Faleh was only trying to spit on the older woman. Although the lawyers said that Almaleki should be held accountable for making a split-second decision, they urged for a lesser charge against the Iraqi man saying he did not intend to kill anyone.

Prosecutor Laura Reckart, however, played a recording in the court done by Christopher Boughey and another detective, which clearly showed that Almaleki had intended to kill his daughter for bringing disgrace to his family.

The court also convicted Almaleki of aggravated assault for the injuries suffered by the older woman.

The incident happened outside a state Department of Economic Security office in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria. (ANI)