HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a Jordanian-born man in the deaths of his son-in-law and an Iranian women’s rights activist who was his daughter’s close friend (all times local):
6 p.m.
A Texas jury deliberated just 35 minutes before finding a Jordanian-born man guilty of capital murder in the 2012 deaths of his son-in-law and a close friend of his daughter.
Thursday’s verdict in Harris County came a day after Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan testified in his own defense against his attorney’s advice.
Jurors will begin hearing evidence Friday morning on punishment. Irsan could be sentenced either to death or life imprisonment without parole for killing Coty Beavers and Gelareh Bagherzadeh (jeh’-LAH’-rah BA’-gur-zah-DEH’).
Irsan testified that his daughter caused his family pain after running away and marrying Beavers, who was Christian. Bagherzadeh, an Iranian women’s rights activist who was his daughter’s close friend, encouraged the marriage.
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10:30 a.m.
A Jordanian-born man has testified at his capital murder trial, denying any wrongdoing in the 2012 Texas slayings of his son-in-law and his daughter’s close friend.
The Houston Chronicle reports that Ali Mahwood-Awad Irsan admitted Wednesday to numerous lies but argued that he doesn’t remember what he said while angry.
Irsan testified that his daughter caused his family pain after running away and marrying a Christian, Coty Beavers. He said he was worried his daughter was on drugs.
Irsan may face the death penalty if convicted for the deaths of Beavers and Iranian women’s rights activist Gelareh Bagherzadeh, who encouraged his daughter to marry Beavers.
Among the nearly 100 witnesses was his wife, who testified her conservative Muslim husband believed he had to kill Beavers to recover his honor.
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