As reported here, "Naveed Haq's sudden effort to plead guilty Thursday to shooting six people at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle surprised many, but legal experts doubt he'll be allowed to do so while questions about his mental state and the death penalty linger.
"A King County judge postponed Haq's arraignment until Tuesday so lawyers could sort out whether someone can legally plead guilty to a potential death penalty crime within days of being charged.
"Seattle defense attorney Tim Ford, who specializes in death penalty cases, said earlier court cases and state law don't make it clear whether a death sentence would stand if the person pleaded guilty before knowing whether he'd face one.
"Ford noted that if Haq pleads guilty and prosecutors don't seek his execution, the case will be over: Haq will go to prison for life, avoiding the expense and victims' anguish of a trial "and a lot of legal uncertainty, wrangling and time.""
It has been reported that Haq is bi-polar, so he will have to be evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial. He is also a Muslim, and has probably heard that prosecutors might go for the death penalty (although no decision on that has been made yet), so by pleading guilty he probably thinks that if the death penalty is imposed, this will fulfill his 'martyrdom' wish so he can have those 72 virgins.
If I was King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng, I would not invoke the death penalty (even though Haq is deserving of that), so as to stymie that particular desire of this pathetic member of the worlds largest death cult. I say, put him behind bars for life, without the possibility of parole, and let his fellow inmates "sort things out".
No comments:
Post a Comment