CANADA-MONTREAL: MAN STABS HIS WIFE & BABY, BECAUSE HE WASN'T GOING TO GET A DIVORCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SHARI'AH

Man pleads guilty to stabbing wife, baby
Sue Montgomery
Montreal Gazette
Friday, December 01, 2006

A Muslim man who pleaded guilty Friday to stabbing both his wife and baby refused to grant his spouse a religious divorce unless he could be immediately freed from jail.

In a deal worked out between the Crown and the defence, a more serious charge of attempted murder was dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.

The couple, who can't be named by court order, had wanted an imam to perform a divorce under Sharia law, but at the last minute one or both of them changed their minds based on the terms of the plea bargain.

"The issue of divorce as being part of the deal is new for us," defence lawyer Hanan Mrani said outside the courtroom.

...

As court heard details about the Feb. 10 attack on Friday, the man, who has a history of marijuana and cocaine abuse, sat in the prisoner's box, his head in his hands, crying.

On that day, the man was on the computer in the couple's Snowden apartment and the woman was feeding their 15-month-old child, crown prosecutor Sophie Lavergne told Quebec Court.

The man went to the bathroom, while the woman put the baby in the couple's bedroom, and emerged holding a knife. He pushed his wife onto the couch then stabbed her with a knife in the face, arm, shoulder and thigh.

He then went into the couple's bedroom and stabbed the baby in the stomach.

The woman ran outside screaming, "He's going to kill my baby!" and neighbours called police.

The child spent 10 days in Ste. Justine Hospital.

Sentencing arguments are to take place Jan. 12.


Pertinent Links:

1) Man pleads guilty to stabbing wife, baby