A southwest suburban Muslim is praising a deal that ends a felony case against someone who yanked on her headscarf.
Amal Abusumayah says Valerie Kenney, 54, complained loudly in a Tinley Park grocery aisle about a November shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas. Police say Kenney also pulled on Abusumayah’s headscarf.
On Tuesday, Kenney pled guilty to misdemeanor battery. And Cook County prosecutors dropped a hate-crime charge. The judge ordered probation, a $2,500 fine, community service and diversity training.
Abusumayah, 28, says she wasn’t looking for anything harsher.
ABUSUMAYAH: She has a family. She has a life. It’s just a lesson for her to be learned.
She does hope the case sends a message.
ABUSUMAYAH: We should not have to worry about being attacked in America. We are all Americans. We all know our rights.
Neither Kenney nor her attorney returned our calls for comment about the plea deal.