Murder charge filed in Utah State Hospital strangulation

Nearly a year after Omar Abas Sharif was strangled to death at Utah State Hospital, Utah County prosecutors have filed a first-degree felony manslaughter charge against his roommate at the Provo mental health institution.

James Clive Norman, 34, is accused in the March 18, 2011, slaying of the 28-year-old Sharif, according to a case filed in 4th District Court on Wednesday. Norman remains in the Utah State Hospital. His first court appearance on the manslaughter charges is scheduled for Feb. 21 at the district courthouse in Provo. The manslaughter charge carries the possibility of life in prison.

The manslaughter charge alleges that about 1 a.m. on March 18, Norman had approached a nurse in the hospital's Forensic Unit and "complained that he could not sleep because Mr. Sharif was snoring too loudly,"

A half hour later, Norman again purportedly contacted the nurse to report that "something was wrong with him [Sharif]," and that Sharif needed a doctor. Norman then acknowledged having been in an altercation with Sharif during which he "slammed Mr. Sharif's head into the wall, hit Mr. Sharif in the throat, and choked Mr. Sharif," court documents state.

The nurse and other hospital staffers found Sharif on the floor between his bed and the wall with no signs of life. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

The State Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and determined that Sharif was strangled.

Charges were slow to be filed in part due to Norman's mental state. A judge already had found him incompetent to stand trial in an unrelated case and Deputy Utah County Attorney Doug Finch told The Tribune last year he had to consider that in determining Norman's intent and research legal precedents. Finch did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday, nor did an attorney representing Norman.

Records indicate that, in January 2010, Norman pleaded no contest in Spanish Fork's 4th District Court to a class A misdemeanor sexual-battery count. After Norman allegedly assaulted his public defender during a July court appearance, he was charged with felony assault and a competency hearing was ordered. In September of that year, Judge Donald Eyre found Norman incompetent to stand trial and ordered him to Utah State Hospital.

A hearing is scheduled for March 6 to determine Norman's ability to stand trial in the assault case.

Sharif, who also had been charged in a sexual battery case, began his stay at the hospital in 2009 as a result of an incident on a Utah Transit Authority bus in Salt Lake City. He was ranting and refused to leave the bus. The Kenyan immigrant assaulted the bus driver, rubbing her neck and breasts, court documents state. He was charged with trying to hijack a bus, a felony, and misdemeanor sexual battery.

— Nate Carlisle contributed to this report.

remims@sltrib.com

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Adaalat - Well Planned Murder Of Ret. Cornel. Manek Dhanrajgir - Episode 35 - 2nd July 2011

Koyal's parents left a will of worth 90 crore rupees for Koyal and her uncle Rt.Col. Manek Dhanrajgir is an official caretaker of Koyal's property. Manek denies to give money to Koyal as she didn't completed 25 years. Members disclose that he was extremely punctual about his timing. Before dying, Dhanrajgir informs Dave that Koyal wants to kill him. Who is the killer? Lawyer Maya discloses that Koyal was already married and pregnant too. Who killed Rt.Col. Manek Dhanrajgir? Ms. Gomes, Painter Nayan, Koyal, PA Dilip, CA Prajapati. Will KD Pathak save Painter Nayan? " Adalat is a show - Promoolving around KD Pathak, a suave, sophisticated, witty and yet unconventional lawyer who is known as a 'Houdini' in circles of law because he can get his clients out of the tightest of situations. His success rate of acquittals is 100 percent. But most importantly KD stands not for his client, but for Justice. KD has an amazing eye for detail and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He always seems to know enough about every profession, and what he doesn't know he covers up/makes up with his smartness. A quick thinker. KD steps into a case when all is doomed for the accused. All the doors are shut. When the prosecution has prepared a water tight open and shut case where even a blind man can tell that the accused is guilty. But no one can see the case from the angle KD does. He digs fervently for loopholes in the prosecution's case much to their frustration and thinking on his feet, he ...

Video Rating: 4 / 5



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