Tel-Chai Nation

One might think at first that this story is about an ordinary woman in America who goes overboard in seeking revenge upon her philandering husband. But lo and behold, this case (via Smooth Stone), which took place not far from my native home city region, is a case of a Muslim woman and convert who may have murdered her Muslim husband (also a convert) for the money.

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (Aug. 10) -- A woman killed her longtime husband hours before he was to leave on a trip to Morocco to try to impregnate his new second wife, prosecutors said in filing murder charges Thursday.

Myra Morton, 47, turned herself in Thursday to face murder charges in the death of Jereleigh Morton, also 47, who was shot in his bed early Sunday morning in his million-dollar home outside Philadelphia.

The killing happened just hours before Jereleigh Morton was to travel to Africa to try to conceive a baby with his second wife, whom he met on the Internet last year and married in March, prosecutors said.

Myra Morton had reluctantly agreed to the second marriage and even traveled to Morocco to sanction it under Islamic law, authorities have said.

On Sunday, she told police that an intruder had come into the bedroom and shot her husband. Authorities, though, found no signs of a break-in. He was shot twice in the head with his own gun, which had been kept in a relatively inaccessible place, authorities said.

"Myra Morton's description of events is thoroughly inconsistent with the physical evidence found at the scene," authorities wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

Prosecutors charged Morton with first-degree murder, third-degree murder and related counts. She was being held without bail pending an Aug. 20 hearing. She removed her veil that left only her eyes showing, customarily worn by some very conservative Muslim women, at the request of law enforcement during the arraignment.

Prosecutors suggested that jealousy and control of the Mortons' more than $6 million in assets were possible motives for the killing. "$6 million is an awfully large motive," First Assistant District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.

[...]

The Mortons, who hail from North Philadelphia, converted to Islam about 20 years ago. They lived in a small Philadelphia row house until a medical malpractice settlement over their teenage daughter's death netted them a reported $8 million in 2005.

[...]

Prosecutors have said they aren't sure whether Pennsylvania's polygamy ban would apply to a marriage in a foreign country.

I think it should. A polygamous marriage should not be recognized by any country that opposes it. But more importantly, this is exactly why foreign countries that allow morally questionable practices should be criticized for what they're allowing, and don't deserve our support.

Labels: islam