The Plainfield man accused of the horrific stabbing of 6-year-old Wadea al-Fayoume and the wounding of his mother in a hate crime attack two weeks ago pleaded not guilty to all eight charges related to the brutal alleged assault. Joseph Czuba, 71, appeared before Judge David M. Carlson at the Will County Courthouse on Monday for his arraignment.

Czuba, wearing an orange jumpsuit, was escorted into the courtroom by a sheriff's deputy while just feet away, the boy's father, Oday al-Fayoume, solemnly stared at him. Carlson read out the charges against Czuba, which included four murder charges, two aggravated battery charges, and two hate crime charges. If convicted, Czuba could face life in prison, according to Carlson.

As prosecutor Michael Fitzgerald argued for Czuba to remain detained before the next court appearance, Fitzgerald described the harrowing attack. Czuba had reportedly been deeply troubled by the recent Hamas attack on Israel, leading him to blame Hanaan Shahin, the boy's mother and Czuba's tenant, for events in the Middle East. Days after the Hamas attack, Czuba allegedly asked Shahin to vacate the home he had rented to them for two years.

Fitzgerald stated that Czuba attacked Shahin, who managed to escape and call the police from a bathroom, but continued on to fatally stab Wadea al-Fayoume. Describing Czuba as a threat to Shahin and the community, Fitzgerald pressed for his continued detention. In contrast, Czuba's defense attorneys portrayed him as a veteran with no significant criminal history and strong ties to the town.

Judge Carlson granted the prosecution's request and ordered Czuba to remain detained. The next court appearance was scheduled for January 8, with Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak assigned to the case.

The news of this alleged attack quickly spread across Chicagoland, the country, and the world, gathering attention and sparking widespread outrage. Thousands of individuals attended the young boy's funeral just two days after his tragic killing. Mourners remembered him as a sports enthusiast who deeply loved his family and had recently celebrated his birthday.

As Czuba was escorted out of the courtroom, Oday al-Fayoume rose from his seat and stared directly at him. Czuba, who periodically closed his eyes during the hearing, did not turn to acknowledge him.

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to provide further details about the case following the arraignment. Similarly, the boy's family chose not to grant any interviews. However, one of the boy's uncles, Yousef Hannon, briefly turned towards TV cameras as he left the courthouse, mentioning the recent killing of Talat Jehan Khan, a pediatrician reportedly stabbed to death in Houston.

Hannon highlighted what he perceived as a lack of free speech across America, possibly alluding to the escalating attacks against Muslims amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.