A jury has been chosen for the trial of Joseph Czuba, a 73-year-old landlord from Plainfield, Illinois, accused of attacking his tenant, Hanan Shaheen, and fatally stabbing her 6-year-old son, Wadee Al Fayoumi.
Czuba is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery, and two counts of committing a hate crime. Prosecutors say he was influenced by conservative media discussions about the war in Gaza. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial began on Monday at the Will County Courthouse, where 12 jurors and three alternates were selected. Czuba was present in court alongside his attorneys and spoke briefly, greeting potential jurors with a “good morning.”
Jury Selection Process
Before choosing the jury, prosecutors requested that Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak read an instruction on “implicit bias.” This instruction reminded jurors to base their verdict only on the evidence presented.
Potential jurors were asked general questions about their jobs, where they lived, and whether they had heard about the case. Later, each person met privately with the judge, prosecutors, and a defense attorney for additional questioning.
The final jury includes people from across Will County, including Naperville and Crete. Their professions range from teachers to homemakers and pilots. Most of them had heard about the case, but only one person admitted they could not be impartial and was dismissed.
Attorneys also agreed that body camera footage from the police response would only be shown to the jurors because of its sensitive nature.
The Incident
The attack happened on October 14, 2023. Prosecutors say Czuba had become paranoid about the war in Gaza and believed Shaheen would bring Palestinian friends to harm him. His wife told investigators that he was fearful of a rumored “national day of jihad” on October 13.
On the morning of the attack, Czuba allegedly knocked on Shaheen’s door and argued about the Middle East before stabbing her multiple times. She managed to lock herself in a bathroom and call 911 but was unable to save her son.
Officers found Wadee on a bed with 26 stab wounds. Czuba was arrested and has been in jail since then.
Trial and Reactions
The trial is expected to last for the rest of the week. Joseph Milburn, an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called it “one of the most heinous hate crimes in recent history” and hopes Czuba receives a life sentence.
Court proceedings will continue on Tuesday with opening statements.
