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U.S. NEWSThursday 18 February 2016

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Muslim man sues US gun range for refusing him service

Raja’ee Fatihah speaks to members of the media at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City, Wednes- said Brady Henderson, le- harmed by the store’s Mus-
day, Feb. 17, 2016. Fatihah, a U.S. Army reservist, who was asked to leave a gun range in Oklaho- gal director for the Oklaho- lim-free policy, Henderson
ma after identifying himself as a Muslim is suing the owners in federal court, pushing back against ma chapter of the Ameri- said. Robert Muise, with
what he says is a rise in anti-Islamic sentiment across the country. can Civil Liberties Union, the American Freedom
which filed the suit. Law Center, represented
(Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman via AP) “Whether the sign in ques- the Florida gun shop own-
tion says ‘no Muslims’ or er and now is working for
SEAN MURPHY the U.S. alleging anti-Islam- Survival and Tactical Gun whether it says ‘no col- Chad Neal, the owner of
Associated Press ic discrimination. Range in the small town of oreds’ or whether it says the Oklahoma gun range.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The lawsuit on behalf of Oktaha, Oklahoma. ‘no women’ or ‘no Chris- Muise said Fatihah was de-
A U.S. Army reservist asked 29-year-old Raja’ee Fati- A sign posted on the busi- tians’ or ‘no Buddhists’ ... it nied service because he
to leave a gun range af- hah, an employee with the ness declared the range is just as un-American and was belligerent, not be-
ter identifying himself as Oklahoma Department of a “Muslim-free” establish- fundamentally it is just as cause of his religion, and
a Muslim sued the own- Human Services, was filed ment, and is similar to signs wrong,” Henderson said. that the sign declaring
ers Wednesday, the latest in U.S. District Court against that have been placed at Fatihah, who is a board the shop a “Muslim-free”
in a series of cases across the owners of Save Yourself businesses in several states, member with the Muslim business is protected free
advocacy group Council speech.
on American-Islamic Rela- “The only thing the law pro-
tions’ Oklahoma chapter, hibits is if somebody denies
said he went to the gun services strictly on the basis
range after learning about of religion, and that didn’t
the sign. He said the own- happen here,” Muise said.
ers of the store were pleas- Fatihah denies that he act-
ant and welcoming until he ed belligerently.
told them he was Muslim. Claims of discrimination by
“At that point, they started business owners against
treating me with suspicion,” Muslims have been report-
Fatihah said. ed in numerous states, and
A similar lawsuit was filed formal complaints have
by CAIR last year against been filed with the U.S. De-
a gun shop in Florida, but partment of Justice regard-
that case was dismissed by ing incidents in Arkansas,
a federal judge who de- Florida and New Hamp-
termined CAIR could not shire, said CAIR’s national
prove its members were director Ibrahim Hooper.q

Man pleads guilty, faces death penalty in Vegas girl slaying

KEN RITTER This booking photo of Sept. 6, age girl in Las Vegas in Court jury is due to be- of sexually assaulting a fe-
Associated Press 2011, shows Javier Righetti of March 2011. gin March 15 to consider male cousin in Mazatlan,
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man Las Vegas. He got no promise that he whether Righetti should be Mexico, Lalli said at the
jailed for four years await- (Clark County via AP) won’t be put to death. executed. time, and served time in
ing a death penalty trial It’s “extraordinarily unusu- Righetti last week told a Nevada Youth Training
has taken the unusual step Now 23, Righetti pleaded al” to plead guilty before Judge Michelle Leavitt Center in Elko for a sexually
of pleading guilty to capi- guilty Feb. 11 to all charges a capital murder trial with he kidnapped, sexually motivated kidnapping.
tal murder in a case that against him, including kid- no deal from prosecutors assaulted and stabbed Craig said Righetti knew
shocked Las Vegas for its napping, robbing and try- to seek life in prison without Otremba dozens of times his plea and penalty trial
brutality: the rape, torture, ing to rape another teen- parole instead of the death before burning her corpse would get attention, and
killing and mutilation of a penalty, Righetti’s court- in northwest Las Vegas. he wanted to retain his
15-year-old girl on her way appointed defense attor- A prosecutor told a judge in ability to appeal the jury
home from school. ney said Tuesday. October 2011 that Righetti decision.
Javier Righetti was 19 when “He didn’t deny that he provided a detailed con- “There’s very little he has
he killed Arbor View High did it,” Christy Craig said. fession following his arrest. control over,” the de-
School sophomore Alyssa “He was aware of what this “It made him feel power- fense attorney said. “This
Otremba. She disappeared meant. He just didn’t want ful,” prosecutor Christopher will get intense scrutiny as
Sept. 2, 2011, after texting to put anybody, including Lalli said at the time. “He it winds through appeals
her mom that she was walk- the family of the victim and said he did it because it — even more so because
ing home from school. Her his family, through a long made him seem more like he’s pleading guilty to all
burned body was found in trial.” a gangster or a thug.” counts.” q
a vacant lot the next day. A Clark County District Righetti also was suspected