Religion of Peace Adherent Beheads Wife

**Xiphos** · 02-14-09, 11:51 AM

Prominent Orchard Park man charged with beheading his wife
By Gene Warner
News Staff Reporter

Orchard Park police are investigating a particularly gruesome killing, the beheading of a woman, after her husband — an influential member of the local Muslim community — reported her death to police Thursday.

Police identified the victim as Aasiya Z. Hassan, 37. Detectives have charged her husband, Muzzammil Hassan, 44, with second-degree murder.

"He came to the police station at 6:20 p.m. [Thursday] and told us that she was dead," Orchard Park Police Chief Andrew Benz said late this morning.

Muzzammil Hassan told police that his wife was at his business, Bridges TV, on Thorn Avenue in the village. Officers went to that location and discovered her body.

Muzzammil Hassan is the founder and chief executive officer of Bridges TV, which he launched in 2004, amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light.

The killing apparently occurred some time late Thursday afternoon. Detectives still are looking for the murder weapon.

"Obviously, this is the worst form of domestic violence possible," Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said today.

Authorities say Aasiya Hassan recently had filed for divorce from her husband.

"She had an order of protection that had him out of the home as of Friday the 6th [of February]," Benz said.

Muzzammil Hassan was arraigned before Village Justice Deborah Chimes and sent to the Erie County Holding Center.

Hmmmm...

Muzzammil Hassan is the founder and chief executive officer of Bridges TV, which he launched in 2004, amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light.

**Retdetsgt** · 02-15-09, 10:15 AM

Beheading her is second degree murder????? He didn't really give it any forethought?

**countybear** · 02-15-09, 11:38 AM

Muzzammil Hassan is the founder and chief executive officer of Bridges TV, which he launched in 2004, amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light.

**SPD** · 02-16-09, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by Retdetsgt

Beheading her is second degree murder????? He didn't really give it any forethought?

My thoughts exactly. Seems any idiot could figure out a beheading of someone who had a protective order against you is premeditated.

**pgg** · 02-16-09, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by Retdetsgt

Beheading her is second degree murder????? He didn't really give it any forethought?

Thats what I figured also.

**Xiphos** · 02-16-09, 03:36 AM

I'm sure the DA is trying to be culturally sensitive, since it's ok to do that in his culture we can't be too hard on him...

**HudsonHawk** · 02-17-09, 08:40 AM

CNN now has an article with a little more info. Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife - CNN.com Xiphos' post pretty much says it all though.

Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The founder of an Islamic television station in upstate New York aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes has confessed to beheading his wife, authorities said.
Muzzammil Hassan has been charged with murder in the death of his wife, Aasiya Hassan.

Muzzammil Hassan has been charged with murder in the death of his wife, Aasiya Hassan.

Muzzammil Hassan was charged with second-degree murder after police found the decapitated body of his wife, Aasiya Hassan, at the Bridges TV station in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, said Andrew Benz, Orchard Park's police chief.

Hassan was arrested Thursday.

His wife filed for divorce January 6, and police had responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple's home, Benz said.

Hassan went directly to the police station after his wife's death and confessed to killing her, Benz told CNN. Benz declined to give further details.

Attempts to reach an attorney for Hassan were unsuccessful, and his family didn't return calls from CNN.

He had two children, 4 and 6, with his wife. He had two other children, 17 and 18, from his previous marriage.

He launched Bridges TV, billed as the first English-language cable channel targeting Muslims inside the United States, in 2004. At the time, Hassan said he hoped the network would balance negative portrayals of Muslims following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The station's staff is "deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya Hassan and the subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan," a statement from Bridges TV said.

"Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victim," the statement said.

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Originally Posted by Retdetsgt

Beheading her is second degree murder????? He didn't really give it any forethought?

The laws are worded differently in NY compared to WA. Murder 1st here is for killing a LEO/CO/Judge/Witness, murder during commission of a crime (ex: robbery/rape/burg), serial killers, murder for hire or torture. One of the subsections for Murder 2nd is an intentional killing.

I think that Murder 2nd is the appropriate section to charge in this case, unless it can be proven that the perp tortured his wife prior to killing her. Either way the killer is a savage and deserves to burn in hell. Murder 1st and 2nd in New York are both "class A-I" felonies punishable by 15 years to life imprisonment. Unfortunately there's no capital punishment in NY.