Landlord pleads not guilty to hate crime murder of 6-year-old Muslim boy

A 71-year-old landlord, Joseph Czuba, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, and a hate crime in the stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy and his mother. The attack, which occurred in October, was allegedly motivated by the victims' Muslim faith. The indictment describes the boy's death as a result of "exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior." The incident highlights the rising hostility against both Muslim and Jewish communities amid the crisis in Israel and Gaza. Last week, religious leaders from different faiths gathered in Chicago to denounce hate and promote unity.