A veteran attorney is now representing the Branchport man accused of stabbing and beating his mother in August, leading to her death two months later.
Robert Zimmerman has been assigned to handle the case of Paul Khouzam. Khouzam made a brief appearance in Yates County Court Tuesday with his new lawyer.
Khouzam, 38, faces charges of murder, burglary, criminal possession of a weapon, and aggravated cruelty to animals. The charges stem from the death of Khouzam’s mother, Dr. Magda Daoud, following an incident Aug. 6 at her home on Arrowhead Beach Road in Torrey, just north of Dresden.
Khouzam had been arrested by Yates County Sheriff’s Office deputies the previous day in Branchport as a mentally ill person (endangerment to himself or others). He was taken to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan but was released later that night and returned to his home.
Sheriff Ron Spike said Khouzam drove to his mother’s home during the early-morning hours of Aug. 6 and broke a large window near the front door to get inside. Khouzam is accused of bludgeoning and stabbing his mother with a hammer and a knife.
The alleged crime happened about 4 a.m., police said.
