Illegal Wants Alias Used in Rape Trial

(Bucks County, Pennsylvania) In May 2009, a 37-year-old Jordanian national, illegally in the U.S., Khalid Altawarh (aka David Shookby), was arrested for allegedly kidnapping, robbing, beating, raping, and torturing a woman for three hours.

Altawarh took the name Shookby when he arrived in the U.S. in 1996 and he has now asked a Bucks County judge to allow his alias to be used during his trial.

[Altawarh] worries that jurors might be biased against a person of Middle Eastern descent and associate him with terrorism.

The judge ruled Thursday that using an alias in court could result in legal problems.

Altawarh awaits his trial in jail, unable to scrape together $2 million in bail.

He told the judge that he wants to remain in his prison uniform during the trial so that the jurors "can see the way he is." By law, incarcerated defendants are to be provided street clothes to wear so that jurors are not prejudiced by knowing that they are in prison.

Altawarh waived that right.

During the trial, which is expected to last into next week, Altawarh will be shackled at the ankles with an electronic device that allows deputies to administer an electric shock if they need to control him.

That security measure was ordered because Altawarh fought with police when he was arrested and has been "combative," court officials said.

Jury selection in the case began Thursday afternoon.

Altawarh faces the possibility of 10 or more years in prison.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.