A Palestinian doctor in Ohio is suing a Jewish Republican lawmaker over a road rage incident, despite himself pleading guilty to charges over the incident.
The drama unfolded last June as the pair drove eastbound on Interstate 90, with authorities first alerted by a 911 call from Rep. Max Miller, who represents Ohio’s 7th congressional district.
“I was just driving to work, and I was cut off by a man in a Tesla who held up a Palestinian flag to me, and then rolled down his window and said that ‘I’m going to cut your throat and your daughter’s,’” Miller is heard saying on the call, details of which were earlier reported by NBC News.
“And he said, ‘You’re a dirty Jew. I’m going to f***ing kill you all, and I know who you are and where you live.’”
Miller subsequently told police Hamdan swerved at him and shouted threats.
“What I remember is ‘death to Israel,’ Miller said in a recorded interview, footage of which was released by the department. “’I’m going to kill you. I know where you live.’”
That version of events was quickly disputed by Dr. Feras Hamdan, who turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued by Rocky River police.
Cell phone footage filmed from within Hamdan’s own vehicle included audio of him describing Miller as “racist Jewish,” and using an expletive and homophobic slur.
However, attorney Peter Pattakos said while the doctor admitted to “turbulent behavior” during the exchange, data from Hamdan’s Tesla showed his passenger side window, closest to Miller’s vehicle, had remained closed through the interaction, and it would have been nearly impossible for Miller to hear what was being shouted at him.
“We believe that Max Miller did this for own political gain,” Pattakos told local ABC affiliate News 5. “I think that there is a political project to justify what’s happening in Israel right now and what the U.S. military is supporting there. I think Miller is a big part of that.”
Miller is an ardent supporter of President Trump, and has previously told Fox News that Palestine was going to get “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.”
“He certainly did vilify my client,” Pattakos told News 5. “I mean, he made him out to be some deranged anti-Semitic murderer or wannabe murderer.”
In a defamation suit filed by Pattakos on Tuesday, it was also claimed that data from Hamdan’s Tesla showed “no erratic steering movements were made,” which the attorney said called into question Miller’s claims that the doctor had swerved in his direction.
Pattakos said Hamdan took the plea deal for three misdemeanour charges because he had “too much to lose” by risking the case going to trial.
“He was allowed to plead to expungable misdemeanors, and he didn’t have to admit threatening Miller at all.”
The defamation suit has kicked off another war of words, with a spokesperson for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office telling News 5 that Hamdan appeared to be getting “misguided legal advice.”
“Congressman Miller was gracious in permitting a plea that allowed Dr. Hamdan to keep his medical license. This lawsuit may backfire and cost Dr. Hamdan the gift he was just given.”
Miller’s legal team called it “a desperate plea to save face,” and pledged to file a counter claim.
