The father of Noor Almaleki, the 20-year-old 'honor killing' victim Editor at Large Abigail Pesta reported on in this month's issue of Marie Claire ("An American Tragedy," p. 98), will stand trial in Arizona for his daughter's murder in just a few months. Iraqi immigrant Faleh Almaleki, 49, ran over his daughter with his Jeep Cherokee in October for being "too Westernized" -- Noor socialized with the opposite sex, wore jeans, and rebelled against her father's desire for her to enter an arranged marriage. Faleh is now charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and leaving the scene of a serious accident -- and he's pleaded "not guilty." Officials decided against seeking the death penalty for Almaleki back in February, but if he's convicted during the trial (now scheduled to start this November), he'll most likely spend the rest of his days in prison.
Our story struck a chord with readers everywhere, inspiring spirited discussion about the tragedy and the issue of 'honor killings' on our site and nearly 600 comments on Jezebel.com (and more than that on the Huffington Post). Tell us your thoughts: Will you be following the trial?
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