JEDDAH, 6 August 2007 — An appeals court threw out the death-penalty verdict on Saturday for a Saudi youth found guilty of negligent homicide in the death of three boys and the injury of two others two years ago in a stunt-driving accident.
“This is a great step and this is what we have been waiting to hear for so long,” Khaled Abu Rashid, the defense lawyer, told Arab News. “The court will probably announce its verdict soon and whatever it is will be fair as long as it is not a death sentence.”
The stiff penalty for accident-related deaths comes at a time when Saudi society is dealing with a growing trend of young men using public streets as their venue for dangerous stunt-driving and “drifting” gatherings that periodically claim the lives of drivers, passengers or bystanders.
Faisal Fouzan Al-Otaibi, known by his nickname Abo Kab — “Father of the (Baseball) Cap” — was sentenced to death, but the verdict was reversed on the basis that the deaths were accidental and that the boys killed were willing participants in the stunt-driving maneuvers.
Abu Rashid filed an appeal on June 7, claiming that while the behavior was stupid and careless, it did not amount to premeditated homicide, a crime that under Shariah law is punishable by public beheading.
Abo Kab may have had his head saved, but he may still be facing a hefty punishment in keeping with the spirit of making an example out of convicted criminal as a warning to others.
“He deserves a punishment, indeed,” said Abu Rashid. “And this is what we have been saying all along, but not the death penalty. This was a car accident.”
The family of two of the boys who died in the accident — one 13 years of age and the other 14 — have refused to accept blood money for the deaths.
