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• Hamid Hayat juror says she was pressured to change her vote

• Morales hearing postponed until September

• Woman hit by train in Lodi dies

• Lodi terrorism probe not over

• Five cited in sting

• Warm weather brings threat of West Nile Virus

• Some say gas prices will cause them to drive less

• Two men escape after robbing S.J. Bank of Stockon

• Regional Roundup

• S.J. Historical Museum gives visitors glimpse of pioneer life on the farm

• Spanos not the only billionaire with jet at Stockton airport

November 19th, 2009

• Logbook

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Operation: Christmas

• Corrections

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Chase ends in crash

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

November 18th, 2009

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

November 17th, 2009

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Regional Roundup

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Clarification

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

November 16th, 2009

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Regional Roundup

• Correction

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Public Meetings

November 14th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

November 12th, 2009

• Logbook

• Correction

• Robotics team at Jim Elliot invited to compete in Israel

• City of Lodi begins annual leaf removal program Monday

• Liberty Ranch construction at standstill as state pulls funds

• Will Lodi adopt a program that will allow volunteers to work at parks?

• With song and speech, veterans are recognized in Lodi

• 20 years later, Acampo man remembers the fall of the Berlin Wall

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (130)
• Obama is not a moderate (129)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (60)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (49)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (45)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• The haves should help the have-nots (25)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)
• Nightmares about America's future (21)

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Lodi residents shocked, upset by Hayat decisions

Local residents were shocked Tuesday to learn 23-year-old Lodi resident Hamid Hayat was found guilty by a federal jury on separate counts of lying to the FBI about his connections to a terrorist training camp in Pakistan and providing material support to terrorists.

The news came hours after a different jury declared a mistrial in the case against Hayat's father, Umer Hayat, who faced similar charges. The jury's forewoman, Woodbridge resident Debra Kiriu, claimed both sides failed to present any conclusive evidence in the case against the 48-year-old ice cream vendor.

Word of the deadlock in the Umer Hayat case had brought some hope to locals who thought the decision was a sign the government's case against the men was weak and that Hamid Hayat's jury would also declare a mistrial.

But when a second jury reentered a Sacramento courtroom later that afternoon and declared Hamid Hayat guilty on all counts, people were surprised and dismayed to hear the news.

"This is not justice," said longtime Lodi resident Taj Khan, who testified against the government's claim that a high-ranking al-Qaida operative had spent time in the area. "(The Hayats) are people we know are innocent. Something needs to be looked at."

Khan said local Muslims have been looking forward to some kind of resolution in the cases, which have gone on for nearly a year, though the news will be met with great sadness by some members of the community.

Lodi City Councilman John Beckman, who was mayor last June when the Hayats were arrested, said the deadlock in the Umer Hayat case seemed to reveal the FBI lacked strong evidence. He said the guilty verdict against Hamid Hayat could have unfortunate implications for the city of Lodi.

"It will create a question in people's minds about the Pakistani community," Beckman said. "It would be nice to have the Pakistani community appear to be more active and involved in our war on terror."

Current Lodi Mayor Susan Hitchcock said the aftermath of the recent guilty verdict is likely to haunt members of the Pakistani community.

Still, she added, with the ruling comes some measure of finality to a years-long federal investigation into a possible terrorist cell in Lodi and a message to would-be terrorists.

"People are going to have to be careful of what they say and do," Hitchcock said. "We just have to trust in our (juries) that they took in all the facts and are doing what's in the best interest of all of us."

Other locals, like Lodi Mosque member Malik Ahmad, said that while a guilty verdict may be upsetting to Muslims who believed the Hayats were being held unfairly, it also means people would soon return to their normal, daily routines.

Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said late Tuesday that the group was still preparing a response to the decisions, but was stunned by the verdict.

"We're shocked by the news and are trying to understand what the jurors saw that observers (of the case) didn't see."

Contact reporter Sara Cardine at sarac@lodinews.com.

First published: Wednesday, April 26, 2006