Prosecutor Slams 'Outlandish Theories' Blaming Slain Boy's Mother For Hate Crime Killing

JOLIET — Jury deliberations began at noon on Friday, two hours after lawyers for the Will County State's Attorney's Office asked the jury to realize that the prosecution put forth overwhelming evidence showing that 73-year-old Plainfield defendant Joseph Czuba murdered kindergartner Wadee Alfayoumi and tried to murder the boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen, inside his house because of their Muslim religion.

During final arguments for the defense, Czuba's attorney George Lenard asked the jury to find his client not guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and two counts of hate crime, insinuating that Wadee's mother ended her own son's life.

Prosecutor Christine Vukmir handled the prosecution's final argument. She told the courtroom that Lenard's closing argument to the jury constituted "outlandish theories not suggested by facts."

Lenard was "basically beating around the bush, suggesting that Hanan killed her own," Vukmir told the jury late Friday morning. "That's what he wants you to believe ... that she decided that she's going to frame that guy, her landlord, that's what he wants you to believe."

Absolutely no evidence supported Lenard's theory, Vukmir explained. Reminding the courtroom that if Wadee's mother killed her son, she would have had to strap the Scuba Pro knife belt and holster around Czuba's body and basically force "the murder weapon" multiple times into her own body and then stab herself in the back of her own head to cover up her own crime. That's what he's telling you to believe."

Prosecutors also showed the jury the 7-inch-long knife that was removed from the Wadee's body at his autopsy after he was stabbed 26 times. The brand of the knife was the very same brand as the knife belt and holster that Will County Sheriff's deputies found on Czuba's body when he put his hands behind his back to surrender to the police after they found him in his backyard, minutes after the tragic 911 call made by Wadee's mother on Oct. 14, 2023.

Vukmir urged the jury not to give any consideration to Lenard's closing argument. Lenard also told the jury they had a very difficult decision ahead of themselves once they met behind closed doors to begin their deliberations. He insisted that they needed to return to the courtroom and unanimously all sign the not-guilty verdict forms for the charges against his client.

Lenard argued that the prosecution and Will County police's case against his client had significant holes, and that lots of important evidence — including Hanan Shaheen's clothes and the blood-stained blanket on the bed where Wadee's body was found — were eventually thrown away into the garbage. He said the items should have been tested by the crime labs, but they were not because they pointed to his client's innocence.

As for Czuba, Lenard acknowledged that his client had strong beliefs, against Muslims and the P.L.O., but "this is America. People have the right to believe the way they believe."

Lenard also remined the jury that during Shaheen's original 911 call, she originally hung up on the 911 dispatchers and called them back, using a second phone that she had.

"You don't hang up on police when you say your child is being stabbed," Lenard argued. "You've got to carry that ball over the goal line to sign those guilty verdicts. That's what the state is asking you to do. There is no evidence of any bruising on her body. It was like trying to nail Jello on a tree trying to get her to answer (questions on cross-examination) because she's concerned about the civil suit."

Vukmir insisted that Lenard's theory was outlandish. The prosecutor told the jury that Shaheen remained at St. Joe's hospital for several days, recovering from the injuries she suffered as she fought back against Czuba when he tried to kill her with his long Scuba Pro knife blade. Shaheen needed 19 stitches to her head, a few more stitches to her hand and at least two staples to the back of her head, Vukmir said.

"That's the plot he's presenting to you," she said. "Ridiculous!"

Vukmir grabbed the Scuba Pro knife and displayed it as she stood only a couple feet away from the jury box. She reminded the jury that Wadee was just a kindergartner, and he was less than 4 feet tall.

"This is what plunged into his body, twenty-six times, until Wadee's little body could not take it anymore," Vukmir raised her voice. "He then leaves the knife hanging in Wadee's body. It's disgusting!"