Pretrial Rulings in Haq Prosecution

Yesterday Judge Michael Trickey (King County Superior Court) ruled that Naveed Afzal Haq, the man accused of killing one woman and wounding five in the Jewish Federation office on July 28, could have his own investigator at the scene. Natalie Singer, Judge: Haq defense can send own crime-scene investigator, Seattle Times, Aug. 9, 2006. Prosecutors and representatives of thew Jewish Federation objected. The Federation would like to have its staff have access to the offices again.

In an effort to reduce prejudicial pretrial publicity, Judge Trickey also granted a defense motion to prohibit the media from filming or photographing Haq while he has his hands or legs in shackles or is surrounded by sheriff's deputies. Id.

Columnist Susan Paynter discusses the range of opinion within the Jewish community about whether King County Prosecutor should seek the death penalty. Susan Paynter, Jewish community ponders whether Haq should face death, Seattle PI, Aug. 9, 2006.

It is unclear whether the incident can be prosecuted as a hate crime. Mike Carter, Charges: It may take more than hate to qualify as hate crime, Seattle Times, Aug. 1, 2006.

Filed in: Haq, Jewish-Federation, Trickey, King-County, experts, pretrial-publicity, hate-crimes, death-penalty, Paynter,