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Daily Herald – June 2, 2006
Attorney says Mc Henry County avoiding Muslim jurors
By Charles Keeshan
The family of an Algerian national suing the McHenry County sheriff's office over her jailhouse suicide last year are accusing the county of trying to move the case out of Chicago to avoid dealing with Muslim or Arab jurors.
In court papers filed in U.S. District Court this week, the family's lawyer, Janine Hoft, claims county attorneys want the case moved to Rockford where they would be less likely to deal with a racially and ethnically mixed jury. "Transferring this case would change the jury pool to the detriment of the plaintiff," Hoft said. "The defendant's motion amounts to forum shopping to avoid a more diverse jury pool."
The charge comes after the McHenry County state's attorney's office last month asked that the lawsuit on behalf of Hassiba Belbachir be moved from Chicago to Rockford.
Belbachir, 27, died March 17, 2005, after jail staff found her in her cell with two socks tied tightly around her throat. A McHenry County coroner's jury ruled the death a suicide.
At the time, Belbachir was in custody on a hold from the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customers Enforcement on accusations she was using a stolen passport. Her family's lawsuit alleges jail staff knew she was under great emotional distress behind bars but did nothing to prevent her suicide….
http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=195637
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