On Tuesday, the second of two teen-aged girls was sentenced in the March 23 murder of Mohammad Anwar in Washington, D.C. The first of the girls was sentenced on June 4. The two girls had assaulted Anwar with a stun gun as part of an attempted carjacking. Anwar was hanging out of the car when one of the girls sped away and crashed the car, causing it to flip over. Anwar was killed in the crash.
Both girls — ages 13 and 15 — were given sentences of juvenile detention until deemed rehabilitated or until 21 years old — whichever comes first. Given the nature of their crimes and the fact that at the time of this carjacking, one of the girls was already a suspect in a previous carjacking, this writer can perhaps be forgiven if he does not hold his breath for rehabilitation.
Mobile phone video of the carjacking — captured by a witness — went viral on social media. The video shows everything in sad, graphic HD detail.
After flipping the car in front of a stadium, the girls were helped out of the care by National Guardsmen who were there as part of Operation Capitol Response. While Anwar’s body lay sprawled on the sidewalk, one of the girls can be heard in the video expressing grave concern, not for the man she just killed, but for her mobile phone that she left in the victim’s car.
And for this craven act, the girls received sentences maxing out at seven and eight years. But given the soft-on-crime attitude rife in liberal cities such as D.C. (in cases not involving police officers who — even justifiably — kill black men), they will both likely be out much sooner. And since they were charged as minors, their juvenile records will be sealed when — as hardened criminals — these two young killers are turned loose on an unsuspecting world.
The reason given for the light sentences is about as senseless and insane as the crime itself. D.C. law does not allow a 13-year-old to be charged as an adult, regardless of the crime. And the prosecutor in the case declined to try the 15-year-old as an adult. They were each offered the same deal by the prosecutor: Plead guilty to murder and all other charges would be dropped. The 15-year-old accepted the deal on May 11; the now-14-year-old accepted the deal on June 3.
Ignored in the plea deals was the simple facts that one of the girls was already suspected of a previous carjacking and that carjacking is a business much more often than it is a hobby. Who was behind the carjacking? Were the girls working for a criminal gang? That will likely never be known, because those charges were dropped in the race the slap these two miscreants on the wrists.
Furthermore, though it has been said before in similar cases, it needs to be said again — because the day it stops being called out for what it is, it becomes acceptable: Can anyone imagine such light sentences if the two people who murdered a Pakistani immigrant for his car had been two white boys? No — all bets would be off and the harshest sentences imaginable would be called for. Shouts of “white privilege” would ring from every corner of liberal media. So, what do we call this? Black privilege?
Because unless the Grace of God converts their souls during their brief incarcerations, they will hit the ground running immediately after turning 21. And God help anyone who has something they want once that happens.
Because they are minors, neither girl’s name has been made public. And that is just as well. Too often, it is the criminal who gets all the attention and name recognition.
For example, Mumia Abu-Jamal was described by the New York Times in 2001 as “perhaps the world’s best-known death-row inmate.” The Wikipedia article on him opens by describing him as “a political activist and journalist” before stating that he “was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1982 for the 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner.” He has published several books and articles while in prison. A campaign led by prominent and famous liberals in academia and entertainment led to his death sentence being overturned.
This writer wishes that no one could recall the name of the degenerate thug who murdered Daniel Faulkner while everyone could recall the name of the brave police officer who — after being shot in the back and face — managed to shoot his killer in the stomach.
And so, this writer — having highlighted the miscarriage of justice that allowed two unrepentant, degenerate, cold-blooded murderesses to receive light sentences — will now focus on the brave, good man whose life they stole while trying to steal his car.
Mohammad Anwar was a 66 years old on the day he died. He was a husband, father of two adult children, and grandfather of four. Anwar worked as an UberEats driver to support his family. After leaving Pakistan, he worked for many years in Kuwait to support his family who were still back in Pakistan. In 2014, he and his wife immigrated to the United States to seek a better life and pursue the American Dream.
He is described by those who knew him as a kind man with a big heart. That appears to be an accurate depiction: His encounter with the girls who would wind up killing him began when they asked him for a ride after he made a delivery. He agreed. That is how they wound up in his car — because of his kindness.
The video of the carjacking shows that he tried to reason with the girls, telling them, “This is my car.” Since he supported his family by using that car for his UberEats deliveries, he needed it. His interaction with the girls is that of a man who is firm, but not violent. He exhibits a gentle bravery in the moments before his death. That we could all live and die that way.
Perhaps the best testimony to the goodness of his life is found in the response to a GoFundMe campaign set up by his nephew’s wife. That campaign describes Anwar as “a hard-working Pakistani immigrant who came to the United States to create a better life for him and his family,” and as “a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend who always provided a smile when you needed one.”
As of this writing, that campaign has raised $1,049,670 for the family this good man left behind. That sum comes from 30,500 donors.
The world already has too few good men — now it has one less. May God grant him eternal rest. Forget those girls and remember all the Mohammad Anwars out there beavering away to support their families and hold their heads high, knowing that they are doing the right thing. Such are worthy of remembrance and honor.
