THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. (Court TV) — A father and mother in Washington State have been sentenced for an altercation with their teenage daughter.
Last month, A Thurston County jury acquitted Ihsan and Zahraa Ali of the top count of attempted second-degree murder for the incident involving their then-17-year-old daughter, Fatima.
Ihsan and Zahraa Ali are charged with the attempted murder of their daughter. (Court TV)
Ihsan, who was convicted of second-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment, and fourth-degree assault, was hit with the maximum on the top two charges: 14 months in prison for second-degree assault, and 12 months in prison for unlawful imprisonment. Ihsan has been in jail for 10 months.
WATCH | Attempted ‘Honor Killing’: Victim Fatima Ali Said ‘Abuse Became Unbearable’
In addition, Ihsan must complete a total of 30 months of community service and a parenting class, and he cannot have contact with Fatima for 10 years.
On the fourth-degree assault conviction, Ihsan was sentenced to 364 days with 182 days suspended, which will occur concurrently with counts two and three. He also cannot have any contact with his daughter’s boyfriend, Isiah, for 24 months.
Zahraa, who was convicted of violating a no-contact order filed on behalf of Isiah’s father, was sentenced to 364 days in jail with 83 days suspended for 24 months. Zahraa was not taken back into custody since she served 9 months in jail before the verdict.
WATCH | Fatima Ali: You’re A Monster… My Dad Tried To Kill Me With His Own Hands
On October 18, 2024, Fatima planned to run away from home to avoid going on a trip to Iraq. Her family searched for Fatima throughout the morning and located her with her boyfriend, Isiah, on the campus of Timberline High School. The incident between Fatima and her father was captured on surveillance video from an Intercity Transit Bus approaching the school, as well as videos from several bystanders.
Prosecutors argued that Ihsan Ali was angry with his daughter and placed her in a chokehold and squeezed her neck, all while students attempted to free Fatima from her father’s grasp.
Defense attorneys say they saw the incident differently and that the incident amounted to 53 seconds, and there was no clear evidence that either parent tried to harm Fatima, and was attempting to take her home after she left home for a second time in the same month.
The jury acquitted both parents of attempted second-degree murder; however, Ihsan was convicted of second-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment, and a misdemeanor of assault in the fourth degree. Ihsan faces a 12-month prison sentence, but has been in jail since his arrest last November.
