HOUSTON: A jury in Texas has begun deliberating whether a Jordanian immigrant convicted in what prosecutors describe as two “honor killings” will receive a death sentence or life in prison without parole.
The Harris County jury began deliberations Monday in the penalty phase of Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan’s capital murder trial. Deliberations are to continue Tuesday.
Irsan was convicted last month in the deaths of his son-in-law and his daughter’s friend. Prosecutors say the conservative Muslim became enraged when his daughter left home to marry a Christian and convert to Christianity, so he orchestrated the killings. The daughter’s friend, Gelareh Bagherzadeh, died in January 2012. And the son-in-law, Coty Beavers, died in November 2012.
Irsan testified that his daughter aggrieved his family after eloping with Beavers, and that Bagherzadeh had encouraged the union.
Jury deliberates on life or death for Jordanian immigrant
Jury deliberates on life or death for Jordanian immigrant
- Irsan was convicted last month in the deaths of his son-in-law and his daughter’s friend
