Doctor who poisoned wife sentenced to 4 years
JACKSON TWP. – A Stark County doctor accused of trying to kill his unborn child six years ago entered into a plea agreement Monday and avoided a trial.
Dr. Yousif Alhallaq, 42, of Jackson Township will serve four years in prison and face five years of post release control when he completes his sentence — a deal that greatly upset his estranged wife.
“He’s a monster and this is an injustice to our son,” Tana Ely told The Canton Repository following proceedings in Stark County Common Pleas Court. “I think (the Prosecutor’s Office) failed my son at the justice system. My son is permanently disabled and has to spend the rest of his life like this ... and Yousif got four years ... and I don’t think four years is enough time.”
Alhallaq, an internal medicine specialist, was arrested at his Dressler Road practice in March by U.S. marshals and charged with one count of attempted murder, a first-degree felony, and two counts of felonious assault, both seconddegree felonies.
Alhallaq admitted to poisoning Ely’s food with the abortion medication mifepristone in an attempt to end her pregnancy against her will or knowledge in 2014 and 2015.
Alhallaq agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted murder, and two counts of felonious assault, with count two of the felonious assault merged into the attempted murder charge for sentencing purposes.
Judge Natalie Haupt accepted his guilty pleas and the agreed upon sentence. Alhallaq received four years for counts one and two, attempted murder and felonious assault, and an additional four years to be served concurrently for count three, felonious assault.
Prosecutor’s office, Judge Natalie Haupt under fire
Ely told the court that Alhallaq wanted to be an engineer, but became a physician only because he saw it as a way to get out of Jordan.
According to Ely, Alhallaq didn’t want to be a father when he discovered her pregnancy,
“Yousif has now taken his medical license and used it for pure evil. This was reckless, destructive, malicious, and methodical,” Ely told Haupt during victim impact statements prior to sentencing.
Ely turned to Alhallaq and said: “Go back to Jordan, nobody wants you here. You harmed my son. What you did will never be forgiven.”
Ely begged the court to impose a longer sentence.
“This court has the opportunity to provide justice for my son, and I cannot stress this enough that four years is not
enough time all because that man did not want to be a father,” Ely told Haupt.
Haupt told Ely the court recognized the difficulties of this case, but were there because Alhallaq had taken responsibility.”
“Mr. Alhallaq, it is difficult to comprehend how someone who was devoted his life to help others, taken an oath to save lives, has purposely committed these crimes ... and the harm is apparent,” Haupt remarked.
The judge, before imposing the sentence, admitted that four years was not enough time, but added she wasn’t sure if any amount of time would be enough.
Prosecutor Dennis Barr exited the courthouse after briefly speaking with the victim.
The Canton Repository asked why the plea deal went forward when the victim in the case was firmly against it. The prosecutor’s office has not provided comment at this time.