Man Convicted in Sikh Slaying After 9-11

[moroni]

U.S. National - AP

Wed Oct 1,12:21 AM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!

By SANDY YANG, Associated Press Writer

MESA, Ariz. - A man was convicted of murder Tuesday in the slaying of a turbaned, bearded Sikh who prosecutors said was gunned down four days after the Sept. 11 attacks because he was mistaken for an Arab.
The jury, which began deliberations late Monday, rejected Frank Silva Roque's insanity claim.

Roque, 44, could get the death penalty.

He was also found guilty of attempted murder, drive-by shooting and endangerment for two more racially motivated attacks.
Roque fatally shot Indian immigrant Balbir Singh Sodhi in front of the gas station he owned on Sept. 15, 2001.
After killing Sodhi, Roque shot at another gas station, where the clerk was a man of Lebanese descent, and shot at the home of an Afghan family. No one else was hurt.
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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031001/ap_on_re_us/sikh_shooting

[MrBenchley]

1. America's gun owners in action

[saigon68]

6. Whatever

get over it

[SlavesandBulldozers]

2. cat got your tongue?

hmm. . . I don't see the usual Democratic opposition to the death penalty in this case. . . I wonder why that is. bahahah

[LevChernyi]

3. I am always opposed to the death penalty

However, I'd wager at 20:1 that he doesn't actually get it. Mesa might even result in a not guilty.

[ScotTissue]

4. Silva Roque??

The assailant's name is Frank Silva Roque? He's a Hispanic. That kind of surprises me, as in my minds eye I saw your typical white rightwing yahoo. I might have to further consider the insanity defense!

But before anyone takes my comments the wrong way: this was an abhorrent (not to mention STUPID) crime. Who mistakes a Sihk for a Muslim? And second, race should be no factor in this equation. It just sort of took me by surprise is all, and that could be my ignorance.

Peace.

[demdave]

7. Not ignorance, prejudice.

When you assume a race for a crime you are being prejudice.

[ScotTissue]

8. I hope owning up to one's "prejudice"....

I hope owning up to one's "prejudice" or what really are simple fleeting thoughts is honest.

I really didn't think anti-immigrant violence would come from a Hispanic.

I realize that's a dumb immediate assumption, but I'd be a liar if I said it didn't shock me.

[Sal316]

5. I know the victim and his family.

They own the station by my house. I see them just about every morning when I stop for coffee. They are the nicest, most kindhearted people you could ever hope to meet. It broke my heart when this moron from AJ did this.