Mohammad Hanafi Beat, Drugged, Tasered Wife, Until She Signed Divorce Papers, Prosecutors Say

By: Kealan Oliver
Topics: Daily Blotter

Mohammad Hanafi's mug shot (KCAL-TV CBS 2)

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) A Hawthorne man who allegedly bound, drugged, beat and tasered his wife until she signed divorce papers could face life in prison if convicted.

Jurors began deliberating Thursday in Mohammad Hanafi's attempted murder trial. The Superior Court jury will decide whether to convict the 58-year-old of torturing his estranged wife, Raisa Hanafi, in 2008.

Another man, Kisasi Liggins, is also accused of torturing Raisa Hanafi and beating another man, a former business partner, after the man sued Mohammad Hanafi for $750,000. The defendants allegedly held the man captive in 2006.

Prosecutors said the woman was held at homes in Hawthorne and Los Angeles for five days before escaping.

Mohammad Hanafi and co-defendant Kisasi Liggins are charged with 14 counts involving both incidents - including attempted murder, kidnapping for extortion and torture.

Raisa Hanafi testified during the trial that her husband and Liggins came to her bedroom, forced her to take pills, beat her and smothered her face.

The men also discussed killing her by cutting her up and feeding her to dogs, throwing her into the ocean, shooting her or poisoning her, the woman testified.

She said the men also shocked her with a taser to get her to sign divorce papers, and made her tell them about a buried key to her bank safety deposit box, from which Mohammad Hanafi allegedly removed the couple's passports, jewelry and money.

In closing arguments Tuesday, Hanafi's attorney acknowledged his client drugged and bound the woman but denied he tried to kill her.

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by jdbynum3 March 22, 2010 11:55 AM EDT: Where's the little dot between his eyes?? Send him to out here to East Texas and we'll install one for him....make him look really nice.; Reply to this comment


by quapawsix March 22, 2010 7:26 AM EDT: Send him back to the desert he came from he's not capable of being or acting civilized.; Reply to this comment


by djseavy March 22, 2010 4:22 AM EDT: Do unto others as they do unto you. That should be the punishment motto in court. (Yes I know the real saying is a little different); Reply to this comment


by speedy_dogg March 21, 2010 11:26 PM EDT: the man should be locked up for good. i wouldn't dream of letting him out if i was given the chance to decide.; Reply to this comment


by blondenblueeyed March 21, 2010 2:59 PM EDT: I would commit suicide if I woke up and this goon was laying next to me!; Reply to this comment


by dakotaclark March 21, 2010 1:54 PM EDT: Hmmm...

Mohammad Hanafi looks like a real sweetheart. When one moves from one culture to another, one must follow the laws of the new culture. That's just the way it is, regardles of the culture.

Apparently, Mo does not believe that, and wanted to place himself above the law.

Upon conviction, Mo will get an extended stay in prison. I can imagine that Bubba, Bruno, Guido, Carmine, Kwyndalon, and Jose are thinking that Mo looks pretty good; and are anxiously awaiting his arrival.; Reply to this comment


by teufeldritch March 21, 2010 12:11 PM EDT: Lock him up & throw away the key.; Reply to this comment

by lilbear925 March 21, 2010 11:41 AM EDT

I would almost bet that, if the wife had filed on him, he would have performed an "honor killing" since it would have insulted him and his dignity.

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by IndiasWorstTechSupport March 21, 2010 12:26 PM EDT: There is no Honor in doing away with someone who is smaller, weaker, and can not fend for themselves. Those are the ones that need protecting the most. He wants "Honor killing" let him do it to someone whose desire to live is stronger than his. We'll see who walks away alive.

by formrusmcsgt March 21, 2010 6:47 AM EDT

by brianbwb2011 March 21, 2010 2:32 AM EDT
This is why "white" people can never be trusted as accurate witnesses...
----
What a blatantly racist statement.

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by brianbwb2011 March 21, 2010 10:25 AM EDT: perhaps, but nowhere near as racist as, "they all look alike to me."

Going to pretend you never heard that?

by RoboBlogger March 21, 2010 1:41 AM EDT

guy sorta looks like Laurence Fishburne for a minute.

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by brianbwb2011 March 21, 2010 2:32 AM EDT: This is why "white" people can never be trusted as accurate witnesses, they cannot discern the difference between two entirely different people, from two entirely different ethnic heritages, only because the skin is dark.

Anyone of a dark complexion, convicted of a crime on the basis of witness ID by "white" people, should have immediate access to a new trial