NOT GUILTY WA - Parents try to kidnap daughter over forced marriage - November 3, 2024 (NG of attempted murder; Guilty of lesser charges)

  • #201
Clock has stopped probably for lunch. I wish I knew more about the makeup of the jury. It is for sure there are some differing opinions in that jury room. Court TV says jurors are "taking a walk". I read that as hung so far.
 
  • #202
going again....sort of giving up for today but they are two hours behind my time. For some reason I thought this might be faster but then those instructions get so complicated.
 
  • #203
going again....sort of giving up for today but they are two hours behind my time. For some reason I thought this might be faster but then those instructions get so complicated.
If I were to guess I think the attempted murder and attempted kidnapping charges on the mother could be an issue with jurors coming to agreement.
It wouldn't surprise me if those 2 charges were hung or NG and she was found guilty of burglary and the trespassing order at the school.

I expect no mercy for the father.

imo
 
  • #204
If I were to guess I think the attempted murder and attempted kidnapping charges on the mother could be an issue with jurors coming to agreement.
It wouldn't surprise me if those 2 charges were hung or NG and she was found guilty of burglary and the trespassing order at the school.

I expect no mercy for the father.

imo
that might be right. I don't know what the future holds for a relationship with the mother if father is out of the way....but jury may feel convicting both of them leaves her with no parents..good or bad. I wish at least the mother would have taken the stand to tell her story.
 
  • #205
There is a possibility that there is someone on the jury that thinks like the father. Just because we think this is outrageous does not mean that one or two jurors might think differently. I don't know the voir dire questions but this can happen. Iraq is not the only country where things like this happen...I thought the. boy in CT. would definitely have been found guilty of something and that really shocked me only lesser hung.
 
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  • #206
The linked article below is dated, but it's very relevant today for the obvious reason since there needs to be a message to any offender such as Ihsan Ali or Zahraa Ali who thinks it's OK to attempt to harm a female family member in the United States-- merely because she does not adhere to their belief or tradition, which is a gross violation of her human rights!

If you put your hands on a woman and attempt to restrain her and/or squeeze the life out of her, you will be prosecuted accordingly. As Judge Schaller ruled during the recent Motions hearing, "Parents Don't Have Unchecked Power."

But as Middle Eastern experts have opined, the assault on FA captured on video was not a true attempted "honor killing" as such would never be conducted in public at a bus stop!

IMO, the assault on FA was an angry father, most likely sent by the mother to collect the disobedient daughter from the school they they previously disenrolled her from, and when she refused to leave with him, he was going to take FA-- dead or alive.

I understand how some would like to believe a parent could have out of control rage against a child without intending to murder them, but I think IA had several opportunities to stop, release his grip, and allow FA to breath-- come to his senses, if you will, when the school kids were begging him to stop.

Instead, it took the passerby men who had to pry IA's hands and arms apart to free FA from his grip. IA is a large man who attacked a frail girl-- barely weighing 90#. She was no match to him. What did he think would happen to her if not death? I trust the jurors will convict him as charged: attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, assault on IW, etc.,..... MOO



Honor killings are part of a culture, not a religion, and occur in Arab communities in the United States and many countries.

The reason for these killings is that many families tie their reputation to the women. If she does something wrong, the only way to rectify the family’s honor is to have a wife, daughter, sister killed. Blood cleanses honor. The killers say, "Yes, she’s my sister and I love her, but it is a duty."
 
  • #207
that might be right. I don't know what the future holds for a relationship with the mother if father is out of the way....but jury may feel convicting both of them leaves her with no parents..good or bad. I wish at least the mother would have taken the stand to tell her story.
We know zilch about the home life and how the parents treated or maltreated their kids, especially FA.
I don't think the mother is wired to recognize her role as a wife and mother in what led the family to the violent Oct.18th.
If she took the stand she'd have to show emotion, love towards her daughter and remorse for whatever ugly Prosecutor Stone threw at her.
I can't imagine her ever criticizing her husband, no matter what, even to try and save herself from a long prison.

She may have gotten to see her daughter leaning on Isiah's mother in the courtroom and was Isiah sitting with them too?
I can very easily see her still blaming her daughter for all that happened and all that is to come and giving her husband a pass.
Jurors pay close attention to the defendant's demeanor and Mrs. A. permeates a cold-cold heart towards her daughter while she sits there with her stone face.

Stay tuned and I certainly can be wrong on what I see and feel about ZA.

IMO
 
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  • #208
Jurors went home at 4:30 pm PT. I forgot to mark the deliberations clock at Court TV, but last I checked, it was 13:30 hours +
 
  • #209
We know zilch about the home life and how the parents treated or maltreated their kids, especially FA.
I don't think the mother is wired to recognize her role as a wife and mother in what led the family to the violent Oct.18th.
^^rsbm

We do have an idea of the horrific abuse in the household! I think having the parents arrested saved her younger siblings!

FA's siblings should be thanking her. She probably saved all of them from the crazy monster they lived with. He's always been abusive but worse since FA's younger sister died in 2021.

5/25/25

Ihsan did not take the news well, and began 'hitting her and her siblings for the smallest things', Detective Julie Mullen wrote in her report.

The girl said the abuse got 'really bad' when they moved to Washington state to get better healthcare for her sister and be closer to her uncle in Canada.

'She gave an example of her dad stripping her little sister naked and throwing out her clothes because she didn't want to wear certain things,' police wrote.

'Her dad also ripped all of her clothes up and threw them away because he thought they looked bad.'

Jenat-Alhuissa died in hospice care on January 31, 2021, aged nine.

The girl said the family knew Ihsan 'was going to get really violent' whenever he said, 'Turn up the TV, let's talk'.

One time he hit her older sister Norrulhuda (Nora), now 19, 'with the wood end of a shovel on her arms leaving bruises for sneaking away to visit a friend'.

Another time her oldest sister Haneen, now 21, accidently spilled tea on Ihsan after Nora tripped her, so he grabbed the teapot and threw tea on Haneen.

 
  • #210
^^rsbm

We do have an idea of the horrific abuse in the household! I think having the parents arrested saved her younger siblings!
I missed that post of yours.
OMG and you're so right about her saving her 2 little brothers.
I wasn't surprised about the sisters beating FA....they're abused by the father and mother and in return became abusers.
I have the good feeling that after Oct 18th. Fatima was surrounded by caring loving people and qualified processionals.
Curious if CPS has the 2 young boys in state custody or with the older sister(s).

Unless there were police reports/arrests made for the father (mother and sister's) assaulting Fatima I guess nothing about the prior violence towards FA could be entered in the trial about the father's violent history?
Even with legal documentation it's tough to get someone's past criminal record into evidence.

I'm so glad that FA spoke up to LE and that the prosecutors are aware of the violent life FA has had to endure with these 2 monsters .

imo
 
  • #211
It's been reported that ZA got her 2 young sons into Canada to her MIL and husband's brother so we know the boys had American passports.
Since they already had their passports and all they needed was a Visa to enter Iraq I'm confused that the story was she was taking the boys to Iraq for passports.
 
  • #212
Wow that is quite a situation with her living with them...she is very lucky but if I were his parents I don't know that I could sleep at night. The Ali family is extended and most of them probably agree with the parents and do not want to see her with Isiah. Don't really know but family ties in their culture are very strong. These kids are so young ...what a situation.

I seriously doubt this "online" rumor true (victim living with Barnes family), and why rumors are not allowed here! First, FA only turned 18 end of May-- which means she would have been a ward of the state when her parents were arrested, and if she's still attending HS, will remain so.

On the date of the incident, her counselor helped her find emergency shelter at a teen safe house, which would only be temporary. However, being under state care would be important for FA to receive financial assistance and medical care. (I recall FA was being interviewed by CPS at the hospital).

FA testified she was attending high school in person, so I think she's likely in foster care where she's eligible to stay with state support until age 21.

As for the family of the boyfriend, they are proving to be noble people who remain supportive of both their son and his abused and traumatized friend, FA. We know through Mr. Barnes testimony that he lived with his wife and two sons in an apartment complex. This was not described as a dwelling suitable to accommodate another party with their own room. And even if it was, IW is younger than FA and still a minor, and I trust nobody is suggesting Mr. Barnes and his wife would promote and/or endorse his underage son and FA co-habiting.

Let's end this rumor! It's so disrespectful to FA and the witnesses. JMO
 
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  • #213
It's been reported that ZA got her 2 young sons into Canada to her MIL and husband's brother so we know the boys had American passports.
Since they already had their passports and all they needed was a Visa to enter Iraq I'm confused that the story was she was taking the boys to Iraq for passports.
Allegedly, they wanted them to have Iraq passports to eliminate the need for Visas.
 
  • #214
Allegedly, they wanted them to have Iraq passports to eliminate the need for Visas.
Do you know if the boys were born in the US or Iraq?
I gather then that the boy(s) are Iraqi citizens or already have duel citizenship.
 
  • #215
^^rsbm

We do have an idea of the horrific abuse in the household! I think having the parents arrested saved her younger siblings!
SEATTLE1 You are a rockstar!!! Thank you for keeping the plight of this young girl on this forum. The "sperm donor" is a beastly tyrant. (I refuse to give him a name.) He kept screaming "my daughter" as if he was saying that's my dog and I can do what I want.
I have followed this from "an emotionally safe distance" and yet am still brought to tears when I see
this horror occurring in the United States because of "cultural sensitivity." BS!
Beatings, burns, bruises, stabbing, broken bones, broken teeth or in this case trying to choke the life out of a child....No one has the right to inflict such suffering on a child. Thank God for the school counselor who had the guts to intervene.
 
  • #216
SEATTLE1 You are a rockstar!!! Thank you for keeping the plight of this young girl on this forum. The "sperm donor" is a beastly tyrant. (I refuse to give him a name.) He kept screaming "my daughter" as if he was saying that's my dog and I can do what I want.
I have followed this from "an emotionally safe distance" and yet am still brought to tears when I see
this horror occurring in the United States because of "cultural sensitivity." BS!
Beatings, burns, bruises, stabbing, broken bones, broken teeth or in this case trying to choke the life out of a child....No one has the right to inflict such suffering on a child. Thank God for the school counselor who had the guts to intervene.

Yes, "my daughter" is so infuriating, and they both (IA & ZA) use this when referring to FA.

Why not call her by her name, Fatima, or if they insist, Ibna, which means daughter, but I think they intentionally call her "my daughter" to show possession, hoping to intimidate her! Their parenting style is all about fear, control, and intimidation.

The parents believe they own FA like IA owns his truck! They showed no concern for the health of their child, but IA was very concerned about his truck, and that it not be left in the school parking lot! Fearing it would be stolen!

#FATIMASTRONG
 
  • #217

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS​

DAY 11 – 7/30/25​

DAY 10 – 7/29/25​

  • VIDEO: WA v. Ihsan & Zahraa Ali, Day 10 | Attempted ‘Honor Killing’ Trial
  • A Thurston County jury began its deliberation on Tuesday.
  • The jury of nine men and three women will decide whether Ihsan and Zahraa Ali committed the crime of second-degree attempted murder and other charges against their 17-year-old daughter, Fatima Ali, for an incident that occurred on October 18, 2024.
  • The jury deliberated just over seven hours before going home for the evening.

DAY 9 – 7/28/25​

  • VIDEO: WA v. Ihsan & Zahraa Ali, Day 9 | Attempted ‘Honor Killing’ Trial
  • The attorneys presented their final arguments to the jury today in the second-degree attempted murder trial of Ihsan and Zahraa Ali for the assault on their 17-year-old daughter, Fatima Ali.
  • Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Heather Stone told the jurors that “The state is not asserting that Ihsan Ali showed up with the intent to kill his daughter, but when he goes into the events of October 18, 2024, Ihsan Ali’s intent changed.”
  • Stone said that Zahraa Ali intended to only stop the teens who were attacking her husband, who was strangling her daughter, Fatima, and did nothing to assist Fatima.
  • “You can not strangle your child to restrain them,”Stone told the jury.
  • Defense Attorney Erik Kaeding said that the case against his client, Ihsan Ali, “boils down to 53 seconds.”
  • Kaeding showed jurors frame-by-frame video of what occurred outside of Timberline High School. He pointed to Fatima’s boyfriend, “Isiah,” striking Ihsan Ali first while he was trying to convince his daughter to return home.
  • Defense Attorney Tim Leary also pointed to the incident video showing that his client, Zahraa Ali, arrived on the scene after her husband and daughter were on the ground near the Intercity Transit bus stop.
  • Leary said that Zahraa Ali was taking her family to Iraq because it was the last chance to “hit the reset button” in an attempt to get her daughter, Fatima, on the “right track.”
  • “My client is different, you can’t allow yourself to look at her any differently and reach a decision because she’s different. The decision has to be the same whether or not her child grew up in kindergarten to junior year, and the mom is the head of the PTA. If she were the head of the PTA and did exactly like my client did, I don’t think she would be here,” Leary ended his closing statements to the jury.
 
  • #218
Do you know if the boys were born in the US or Iraq?
I gather then that the boy(s) are Iraqi citizens or already have duel citizenship.

The boys are only ages 3 and 6, and I don't think it likely they were born in Iraq for a couple of reasons. They had a very sick child who died of cancer in WA State in December 2021 at age 9.

Second, FA came to the US 12 years ago and she testified that she has only been to Iraq once-- in 2023. It doesn't follow that ZA would travel to Iraq for an extended period of time, including child birth, and leave FA behind!

As to citizenship for the boys, a child born in the US to Iraqi parents can potentially have dual citizenship and hold both US and Iraqi passports. Iraq's nationality law allows for dual nationality, and a child born in the US to at least one Iraqi parent is considered an Iraqi citizen. The children would also be US citizens by birth.

FA's cross examination was to emphasize the travel to Iraq was to obtain Iraq passports for her brothers and to avoid the need for Visas, and this was also used by the defense to explain the reason for purchasing one way airfare. See the video link below for about 17 mins of FA testimony on the subject.

On the morning of October 18, 2024, Fatima Ali ran away from home because she did not want to travel to Iraq with her mom and her siblings. Fatima told jurors that she packed up all her clothes and hygiene products and took $100 from her mom before she left her home. She acknowledged that she was aware they were traveling to obtain Iraqi passports for her younger brothers.
 
  • #219
  • #220
We know zilch about the home life and how the parents treated or maltreated their kids, especially FA.
I don't think the mother is wired to recognize her role as a wife and mother in what led the family to the violent Oct.18th.
If she took the stand she'd have to show emotion, love towards her daughter and remorse for whatever ugly Prosecutor Stone threw at her.
I can't imagine her ever criticizing her husband, no matter what, even to try and save herself from a long prison.

She may have gotten to see her daughter leaning on Isiah's mother in the courtroom and was Isiah sitting with them too?
I can very easily see her still blaming her daughter for all that happened and all that is to come and giving her husband a pass.
Jurors pay close attention to the defendant's demeanor and Mrs. A. permeates a cold-cold heart towards her daughter while she sits there with her stone face.

Stay tuned and I certainly can be wrong on what I see and feel about ZA.

IMO
I am sure the demeanor of both parents is a concern for jury and you make a good point about what they must be seeing in the courtroom with the other players sitting there. Agree Mrs. Ali is very scared of her husband and I can't imagine what would happen if they were both released.
 

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