SOLHEIM CUP WOMEN’S GOLF THIS WEEK IN GAINESVILLE: Sports, Page 7
September 12, 2024 | Vol. 23, No. 38 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $2.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Husband of missing woman says evidence can’t prove his guilt Naresh Bhatt pushes for a quick trial on charge he hid his wife’s body By Cher Muzyk Staff Writer
It’s clear that Naresh Bhatt, who has been charged with concealing a dead body in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, wants to go to trial as soon as possible. But the reasons behind the legal strategy were murky until Friday when his defense counsel alleged in a motion that the commonwealth’s attorney’s office can’t prove its case against Naresh Bhatt with the evidence it has gathered so far. The motion also asks the court to order prosecutors to turn over evidence that may show Naresh Bhatt, 37, was not with his wife when she disappeared. Shalev Ben-Avraham, a senior assistant Prince William County public defender, has been moving quickly to advance the case since Naresh Bhatt was arrested just more than two weeks ago. Naresh Bhatt already
PHOTO BY CHER MUZYK
Naresh Bhatt has been jailed since Aug. 22 in connection with his wife’s disappearance. waived his preliminary hearing and the grand jury indictment process — both moves aimed at speeding
School board won’t pull challenged library book Young adult fantasy novel with sexual content to remain in high school libraries By Jill Palermo Managing Editor
A popular young adult fantasy novel that was challenged by a local member of Moms For Liberty will remain on Prince William County high school library shelves after a recent vote of the Prince William County School Board. The Prince William County School Board denied a Nokesville dad’s request to remove “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” by Sarah J. Maas, from school libraries because of sex scenes involving the book’s 19-yearold female protagonist. The school board voted 5-2 on Wednesday, Sept. 4 in favor of a motion to retain the book. Chris Funderburg, vice chair of the Prince William chapter of Moms
for Liberty, first requested the book be removed in September 2023, but it took about a year for his request to wind through the division’s review process to the school board level. The group is a local chapter of the national Moms for Liberty group, which consists of conservative parents who advocate for “parents’ rights” in public schools and is known for challenging school library books they deem inappropriate for students. Moms for Liberty chapters, as well as like-minded parents and state legislators, have prompted a wave of book bans in schools across the country. During the 2021-2022 school year, more than 1,600 books were banned from school libraries in 32 states, according to a report from PEN America, an organization that defends free expression. See BOOKS, page 2
Manassas Park races heat up, page 3
up court proceedings. Because Naresh Bhatt is jailed awaiting trial, the prosecution has just five months to
bring him to trial under Virginia’s speedy trial law. “The Commonwealth has … continued to press forward with the charge against Mr. Bhatt, despite admissions that they are not sure that Mamta Bhatt is deceased, as they continue to investigate a case they are unable to prove,” the motion states. “It is why they are attempting to delay this trial for as long as possible.” The motion references a comment Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth made to media immediately following Bhatt’s arrest on Aug. 22. She said she did not know if Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, was alive or dead. Since then, Ashworth hasn’t publicly commented, but Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo has repeatedly said there’s no evidence indicating that Mamta Kafle Bhatt is alive. At the same time, law enforcement has not yet found her body, despite numerous searches of the Bhatts’ home and nearby parks and wooded areas, the latest of which took place Thursday, Sept. 5. See BHATT, page 4
New citizens eager to have their say at the ballot box
The newest Americans say voting shows their national pride By Evelyn Mejia Staff Writer
Rafael Medina didn’t initially plan to settle in the U.S. after first crossing the Southern U.S. border from Mexico a couple times in the 1980s. The third time, in 1988, he decided to stay. That was 36 years ago. For one reason or another, he put off becoming a citizen. When he finally made the step in 2023, his patriotism swelled, he said. “It was very beautiful; it was as if I was born again in this country,” Medina said. His motivation for finally becoming a U.S. citizen? The upcoming presidential election. “In the time I’ve been in this country or in Mexico, I’ve never seen an election cycle like this,” said Medina, 62. “I can’t describe it
Arts Alive! is Saturday, Lifestyles, page 6
Could you pass the test required to become a U.S. citizen? Visit princewilliamtimes.com to take our quiz with real questions from the exam. other than saying Trump is a threat to our democracy.” New citizen voters could make a difference in the presidential race, especially in key swing states with larger immigrant populations and where a smaller number of votes can determine a winner, advocates say. But new citizens’ partisan affiliations are mixed, and according to one survey, they care most about the economy this year, including inflation and the high cost of living, which is a top issue among all voters, according to a survey conducted this past spring by the National Partnership for New Americans. See VOTING, page 2
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