Emotional Bond Hearing: Bail set in slaying case

March 26, 2008

A Myrtle Beach man who is accused in the suffocation death of his estranged wife cried Wednesday as his attorney told a judge how concerned his client is for his two children.

Asghar Eliaderani, 53, is charged with murder in the death of Farah Abbasi, 40, after a dispute nearly two weeks ago at his convenience store in Socastee.

Eliaderani's 16-year-old daughter was in the courtroom Wednesday and remained emotionless as her father cried.

'He has never laid a hand on these children,' defense attorney Russell Long said. 'He is not going to snatch these children. He is very, very concerned for the welfare of the children.'

Abbasi died March 18 at Conway Hospital, four days after the incident at the Socastee Mini Mart at 8545 S.C. 544.

The S.C. Department of Social Services has temporary custody of the couple's daughter and her 10-year-old brother.

Solicitor Scott Hixson said they are in 'fear for their own safety' and believe Eliaderani, who holds U.S. and Iranian citizenship, may try to take them out of the country.

Eliaderani's bail was set at $500,000 Wednesday by Judge Larry Hyman at the Horry County Courthouse. Eliaderani was ordered to wear a global positioning system monitoring device and not to make any contact with his children if he posts bail. He also was told to surrender his passports and not leave Horry County.

Eliaderani remained in J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Wednesday night, according to a jail official.

'My main concern is that he have no contact with the children,' Hyman said.

The couple had separated on Jan. 2, Long said.

In a 911 call to police the night of killing, Eliaderani's daughter said she was worried about her mother meeting with her father.

'My father was acting really weird, and we're scared for our mom,' the teen told a dispatcher.

Hixson asked Hyman to deny Eliaderani bond because he has 'the financial resources' and is considered a flight risk.

Long argued that returning to Iran would be 'comparable to the death penalty' for Eliaderani.

'I assure you that the last place he wants to go is Iran,' Long said. 'That's an absolute impossibility.'

Eliaderani was last in Iran 16 years ago to wed his wife in an arranged marriage before returning to the United States, Long said.

Eliaderani has one brother in Iran and another in North Carolina.

On the night of the killing, Eliaderani and his estranged wife went to the Socastee Mini Mart to retrieve documents, Long said.

Eliaderani has owned the business for 21 years.

'She began ransacking the store looking for something,' Long said. 'He was cut. He almost bled out. He did almost die.'

Eliaderani and Abbasi were taken to Conway Hospital after the incident. Eliaderani was treated for a cut to his left arm and then arrested upon his release.

Abbasi, a pharmacist, remained in a coma for a day and a half before she died. She died from a lack of oxygen to her brain, according to Horry County Coroner Robert Edge.

'It's not a 'Who done it?'' Hixson said of the killing. 'It's a 'Why did this situation happen?''

Prosecutors said Eliaderani was charged in 2007 with criminal domestic violence and pointing and presenting a firearm. The domestic violence charge was dropped at his wife's request and the firearm charge was dismissed, Hixson said.

Deputy Solicitor Fran Humphries told the court there is also a dispute over where Abbasi will be buried.

Humphries says family members have said Abbasi wanted to be buried in Iran, and they are attempting to file a suit in probate court.

But Long argued that Eliaderani said his wife wanted to be buried in the United

States.

Copyright © 2008 , All Rights Reserved.