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Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad

Reported by: David Goins

Email: dgoins@fox16.com

Updated: 1/22/2010 8:36 pm

Published: 1/22/2010 8:34 am

Letter written by Muhammad to judge (252.3KB)

Accused soldier killer Abdulhakim Muhammad wants to change his plea to guilty. In a letter obtained by FOX16 News, Muhammad highlights self-proclaimed ties to Al-Qaeda and his belief the shooting is justified.

Abdulhakim Muhammad wrote the letter last week from his cell at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility. Prosecutor Larry Jegley says the charges against Muhammad will go to trial as a capital murder death penalty case, end of story.

In the two-page handwritten note Muhammad tells circuit judge Herb Wright he wants to plead guilty to capital murder for the shooting of Private William Long, saying "I do not wish to have a trial."

"I don't care what he says quite honestly, I care about what he did," Jegley says.

In the letter, Muhammad, 24, says "at the next hearing I look forward to pleading guilty and await sentencing."

His attorney, Claiborne Ferguson out of Memphis, says his client isn’t acting on advice he provided.

"I don't know why he would write that, it's absolutely useless,” Ferguson says. “He can't tell the prosecutor what to do and quite frankly it's a little irritating that he would even try."

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Muhammad, raised in Tennessee, is also now trying to link himself to Al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s the same group claiming responsibility for the failed bombing of a Delta flight over Detroit Christmas Day.

"I don't think the case could get any more complicated, it's just one more of the factors that we have to deal with," Ferguson says.

Muhammad maintains his attack on Long and Private Quinton Ezeagwula in Little Rock last June was "justified, according to Islamic law,” calling it "jihad."

"I really don't want to dignify it beyond saying that this defendant is not going to hijack the process," Jegley responded.

That process is moving forward to a capital murder trial this summer.

Muhammad also told the judge in his letter he believes prosecutors lied to him when they said he couldn't plead guilty. In fact, in a death penalty case a trial is required. Only if the prosecution agrees to drop the death penalty does a defendant have the opportunity to plead to capital murder and receive life in prison without parole.

Muhammad has called the shootings justified retaliation for U.S. military action in the Middle East. He told The Associated Press in a telephone interview last year that he doesn't believe he's guilty.

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of FOX16 - Breaking News and Weather to Plan Your Day for Little Rock and Central Arkansas

arkyny - 1/23/2010 9:23 PM

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My comment was once again removed. Thanks a lot. I do not know what the problem was but was it that bad?

brendatha - 1/23/2010 12:58 PM

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i agree u james obrien reglion not reason

brendatha - 1/23/2010 12:57 PM

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this reglion doesnt say kill and anyone out there belives it isnt smart person no reglion say kill it indivaile that did it that sick in head i dont belive anone that blames reglion balme man who did crime

kennyvision - 1/22/2010 10:45 PM

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This guy followed his religious teachings and that should be taken into account . As he said , the killings were justified . Just imagine him having a mixed religion jury , which would include folks of his religion, and he will be spared the death sentence like Curtis Vance , who had a rigged jury as well. I do not feel his religion is a peaceful one and like Vance , he will have his defenders .

JAMES OBRIEN - 1/22/2010 9:54 PM

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BURN, BABY BURN. USING ISLAM AS JUSTIFICATION FOR YOUR ACTIONS SHOULD BE AN AFFRONT TO ALL MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS, JEWS, ANYONE WITH ANY SENSE OF GOD OR SPIRITUALITY AT ALL. I HOPE YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE IN THIS CASE, AND THAT A JURY OF 12 OF YOUR PEERS PRONOUNCE SENTENCE UPON YOU. MAY GOD, JEHOVAH, ALLAH HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL BECAUSE YOU GETS NONE AROUND HERE. JIHAD MY EYE. BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN RISK THEIR LIVES EVERY DAY FIGHTING TO GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP YOUR GOD ANY WAY YOU WANT TO, AND FOR YOU TO PRONOUNCE JUDGEMENT UPON INNOCENT PEOPLE LIKE YOU DID! I HOPE YOUR GOD(?) IS A FORGIVING ONE, BECAUSE IF NOT, WELL, WEAR LOTS OF SUNSCREEN BOZO, CAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HELL. I HOPE YOU GET TO GO TO MY HELL DESCRIBED TO ALL IN THE BIBLE.

RBBrittain - 1/22/2010 6:02 PM

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Evidently this guy is as stupid as Anne Pressly's killer, who decided to tell all to the AP. As the prosecutor said, death-penalty cases MUST go to trial in Arkansas. @usarmyLR: Either recruiters aren't covered by Federal murder statutes (only eight of Timothy McVeigh's 168 victims were--the others were covered only by the two WMD and one explosives charges), or else prosecutors made a strategic decision to charge him under Arkansas law instead.

usarmyLR - 1/22/2010 12:58 PM

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As a military member, I believe they need to just hand this useless person over to the miltary and let them deal with him. I wonder why the Federal prosecutor didnt take this case, afterall, he did kill 1 Federal employee and injured another.