American convicted of racism-fuelled post-9/11 murder of Sikh Mesa (U.S.) Wednesday, 01 October 2003

A Phoenix man who said he mistook an Indian immigrant's turban and beard for that of an Arab, has been convicted of first-degree murder in a shooting days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Frank Roque, 44, was found guilty of killing Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh, as he stood outside his gas station in what prosecutors claimed was a shooting spree fueled by racism and sparked by the attacks on New York and Washington.

The defense claimed Roque was mentally ill.

The jury also convicted Roque of attempted murder, shooting and endangerment charges for a 20-minute rampage on Sept 15 that saw Roque shoot at a home and another gas station in suburban Phoenix but cause no injuries.

The jury will return to Maricopa County Superior Court Thursday to decide whether Roque, an aircraft machinist, should be sentenced to death.

Lakhwinder Singh Sodhi, the victim's brother, said the verdict sent a clear message that hate crimes would not be tolerated in the U.S.

Roque had drove to the gas station where Sodhi was standing outside talking and hit him with five shots at close range. He then fired two shots at a house he had sold to an Afghan man, and shot seven rounds into the window of another gas station.

"I'm a damn American all the way," he was quoted as saying as he was arrested by local police.