Assault on Filmmaker Alshaibi Not a Hate Crime: Attorney

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 28, 2011 9:20PM

Charges will not be filed against four Iowa men who filmmaker Usama Alshaibi said beat him, in what he contended was a hate crime. The report from Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille actually lays a lot of the blame for what happened on March 6 on Alshaibi.

Dille's report, based on a joint investigation by the Fairfield (IA) Police Department and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations concluded that Alshaibi entered the the home where the three teenagers and one man were gathered, unannounced and inebriated, and that his injuries were sustained when one of them pushed Alshaibi away in an attempt to get him to leave.

The kids report that when Mr. Alshaibi was thrown out he fell and landed face first. As he tried to regain his feet he fell again, this time down the stairs landing on a concrete landing. They then shut the door and watched him through the door and windows. The kids also report that he fell at least one more time as he was walking away to the north when he stepped in a pothole in the alley next to the house.

The kids also report that after he was outside they began asking him questions about why he was there and what his name was. When he responded that his name was Usama the kids responded to that comment. Although they report they thought he was joking. This office believes it is likely that Mr. Alshaibi heard some words and phrases that could be considered racial slurs. This conclusion is based upon the statements of the witnesses, items located on social networking sites, and some of the behaviors observed prior to and during the interviews.

Mmmmm-hmmm.