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Hit-and-run suspect claims discrimination
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The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is discriminating against the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run in Mesa because of her Arab descent, the woman’s defense attorney said Thursday.
Despite the allegation, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge granted the county attorney’s request on Thursday to force Muneerah Ali Al-Tarrah to surrender her passport, stay in Arizona and check in with authorities before her trial.
Al-Tarrah, who has citizenship in Kuwait and the United States, was released after posting $150,000 cash bail after her Sept. 14 arrest. She and Reem Ahmad Bishara are accused of driving away after striking Todd DeGain, 35, as he was riding a motorized skateboard about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 14 near Alma School and Baseline roads in Mesa.
Defense attorney David Cantor said he will appeal Judge David Talamante’s decision because the state must show that Al-Tarrah "willfully" violated her pretrial release conditions for the judge to make them more restrictive.
"There’s no violation here," Cantor said.
His strongest criticism was for the county attorney’s office, which he said has never sought the passport of any of his American clients during his 18 years of practice.
"It has to be nationalistic or racist," Cantor said.
Al-Tarrah was born in the United States and graduated from Arizona State University, but she has ties to Kuwait, Cantor said.
Deputy Maricopa County attorney Jennifer Green said she was seeking to keep Al-Tarrah in the state because the nature of the charges against her show she is a flight risk.
Al-Tarrah’s blood alcohol level was 0.15 an hour after her arrest, almost double the legal limit for being considered impaired when operating a motor vehicle.
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