Atlanta jury convicts man charged with racially motivated murder
I didn't see the trial, but I was surprised by this verdict. This afternoon, Chiman Rai was convicted for the murder of his daughter-in-law.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story.
Prosecutors claimed that the murder was racially motivated. Rai's son (of Indian descent) had married an African-American girl. The state's theory was that Rai disapproved of the marriage because an interracial marriage would be frowned upon in "caste-conscious" Indian society (the AJC's word, not mine) .
Because prosecutors decided to seek the death penalty, Rai's defense lawyers will now have to prepare for the sentencing phase of the trial. The jury will have the option of sentencing Rai to death, life without parole, or life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. The penalty phase usually focuses more on the circumstances of the defendant (his background, character, etc.) than the facts of the offense. Rai's lawyers are two of the best defense lawyers in Atlanta and I am sure they will do everything they can to save Rai's life.
I heard about this case shortly after Mr. Rai was arrested. It did not sound like a death penalty case then, and it still doesn't. I would be very surprised if Rai is sentenced to death. Juries generally shy away from the death penalty, especially in urban areas, unless the crime is horrific and the evidence overwhelming.
Every murder is tragic, but the evidence presented at trial against Rai was far from overwhelming. It was, however, enough to convince the jury that he arranged for the murder of his daughter-in-law. I am sure the prosecutors will now try to convince the jury that the murder was racially motivated. In my opinion, that would be the only way they could secure a death sentence in a case like this.
The penalty phase of the trial starts on Friday.
