Jumeirah Essex House
====================
Oh my!

Shy Guy on September 21, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Just like people, some of the most beautiful places (ie. hotels) can have the ugliest “souls”.

cirrus1701 on September 21, 2009 at 3:28 pm

I felt there was something strange about this story when I read
it last night. Praileau readily admitted to murder but not to the rape(attempted?). Your theory makes a lot of sense.

paul on September 21, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Debbie is so right on this one!!!
The Essex House is marketed as a premier Hotel in NYC!
What is their new advertising slogan going to be??
“Stay at Essex House!!____ Days since a guest has been murdered by a Hotel employee”?
How can this kind of thing be a co-incidence?

Phil B on September 21, 2009 at 4:11 pm

From what’s posted here, Sara certainly goes against the Islamic grain.

Religion of Peace?

I wonder if Sara fell under the PC spell of our country and became blinded to the enemies she had.

It’s a big, ugly and violent world out there. It’s too bad we enbolden our enemies and snub our friends.

Sam Adams on September 21, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Then again, maybe he is just a violent, scumbag thug from the Bronx.

tempus fugit on September 21, 2009 at 4:30 pm

“Muslim Arabs have a history of exploiting Black guys and making them take the fall.”

Yep – the Arabs have put obama in power to rid your country of you right wing nuts and make it socialist!

Mohamed on September 21, 2009 at 4:39 pm

I bet this guy doesn’t last until the end of the week in the slammer before he is shanked. The prison almost certainly has a Muslim convert population.

Jarhead on September 21, 2009 at 4:49 pm

Who is murdered? An Arab. Who is to be blamed? An Arab. Who hired a blackman to do the job? An Arab. Who convinced a Christian blackman to kill and leave his beloved family to suffer? An Arab. Who owns the posh Hotel? An Arab. Who would be the biggest loser? An Arab. Who pays for the daily rapes and murders that occur casually in NY? An Arab.Who is this Arab? of coz an Arab.

totalheman on September 21, 2009 at 5:31 pm

****A hotel worker named Derrick W. Praileau, 29, has been charged for strangling a 48-year-old woman named Andree Bejjani to death. According to reports, Praileau stabbed a bread knife into the woman’s neck and roped her throat and possibly sexually molested her.****

No, really, he was looking for 48-year-old action. Really, this 29-year-old was looking for someone 20 years older for some action. Right. It makes absolutely NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.

goldenmike4393 on September 21, 2009 at 6:06 pm

debbie,
Bejjani is a persian name(Bijjan also spelled Bejjan) is male name in Iran. not sure if she’s arab or from lebanon.

A: In this case, the woman is, indeed, a she, and she is from Lebanon, originally. Perhaps her family is of Persian origin. DS

Abraham on September 21, 2009 at 6:08 pm

Debbie:

You’re thesis is pure speculation. I’m not dismissing it, but I’m calling it as I see it.

My question to you is this: Is there any chance law enforcement agencies will pursue your thesis?

Sometimes, the NYPD pursues a thesis like yours even though federal law enforcement agencies would rather they didn’t.

You can offer a thesis like this but it won’t amount to much if some law enforcement agency somewhere doesn’t pursue it.

Will we see a follow-up column on this story? If so, that would indicate that somebody in law enforcement thinks your speculation has merit. I would find that re-assuring.

There is NO Santa Claus on September 21, 2009 at 11:20 pm

Debbie, I’m more intrigued by this Irani-American fundraiser for Obama who defrauded banks out of $290 million.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE58K5A420090921?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Gary Welsh on September 21, 2009 at 11:42 pm

The Bejjani family comes from Lebanon. They are Christians. So is Andrea. The family is spread in different parts of Lebanon. A big part originated and living in a small town called Ain-Ible in South Lebanon near the Israeli border.

Many members of that small town were in the South Lebanese army and helped in every aspects the I.D.F. Plenty were murdered by terrorist in defending South Lebanon and Israel and became true martyrs which no one recognize.

FIGURE THAT OUT.

Daniel. on September 22, 2009 at 12:10 am

My thoughts on reading about this weird story were pretty much the same as Debbie’s and although I did not expect to find a blog already raising the suspicion so quickly, but I see many are there already.

In reconsideration, it seems very likely to be raised as a possibility.

I don’t think it is at all far fetched that it could be construed as a gangster hit. The confessed suspect could have been a red herring who either let in the real killer or was told to take the fall or could have accompanied the real killer and did additional acts on the victim.

It is very peculiar that the acts include a strangle, a neck stab and a throat slash. Really? All three from somebody who just happened to get drunk and go to his usual place of work and just happened to go to this woman’s room, who just happened to be a wealthy single woman investment banker from Dubai.

The Persian Lebanon name connection is well noted. Dubai is not a real country but a gangland, or a thugocracy. Just becoz the thugs are real polite and well spoken, does not mean it is not a thugocracy. There is no rule of law except what they say. Put John Gotti the senior in a checked headscarf and white muumuu and you get the picture, he could be polite and well spoken too.

I call it the land of Golden Cockroaches. They can say or do anything, they can make any law for the little people and they can themselves get away with anything.

If the real hit man came in with Praileau, the hit order people in Dubai and the hit man himself would not want to advertise the presence of hired hit men in NY, You see, people might start to look askance and the police might not like the heat that kind of attention generates.

Much better to pay somebody off to take the blame, oh like that has never happened ever ever before.

What happens in prison, whether the guy has a happy rich life or gets rolled we don’t know.

We also don’t know the potential or actual culpability of the Dubai rulers themselves, whether they were investors in this woman’s business, whether somebody lost money and got snitted out or whether weapons, drugs, terror trail or other secrets were involved.

The Dubai woman Shaikh Lubna is another one who is a pretty scary dude. We don’t know what she actually looks like, she could be the Ma Barker or the Bonny to somebody’s Clyde. She went to Chico in California BTW, I wonder if she wore her all black snugglebunny all through her college years.

Anyway, Dubai itself is a real scary place despite its golden city reputation and Dubai people owning Essex house is also scary. Makes me real glad we won the fight when Bush people tried to foist Dubai people and Shaikh Lubna on our ports.

I also remember Essex House and Central park South real well, what a scandal and horror. I also would like to find out more about this lady’s background, finances, family, relationships and activities in covert spheres if any. Very complicated looking story. Thanks for paying attention, Debbie, good work.

MinnieB9 on September 22, 2009 at 4:41 am

Debbi you are R-E-A-L-L-Y stretching on this one, really. As a Black woman who has witnessed (via media) a lot of high profile cases in which Black men have taken the blame for the crimes of others, I am glad to see a non-Black question the circumstances of any accusation. But there are so many existing crimes that have CLEAR conflicts of interest and dark shadows that you don’t need to fabricate one for this crime. Let’s look at it from a different angle, shall we? Could he have been set up to think this woman wanted him sexually? Yes. Could he have moved on that info (like 95% of straight males from any race would do)? Yes. Could he have made his move and she called him a disgusting nigger? Sure could’ve! Now you have a motive for murder! Just like Clinton & Lewinsky. Someone knew how both parties would react based on what each of them were addicted too. They made sure their paths crossed knowing FULL WELL what the outcome would be, and everyone got what they wanted in the end – plus some pain they never considered.

Lauretta on September 22, 2009 at 7:52 am

We need people like Debbie downunder (Australia) to stir the pot with the corruption in politics we have here (NSW SYDNEY…it’s a real joy to have someone intelligent, a woman, a journalist and an attorney all in one bundle have the guts to provide an educated opinion on happenings around the world where something should never be discounted. I don’t doubt this story is in someway connected with strange happenings. A woman (lebanese and a company direct) is murdered in a secure apartment in New York does not add up and it would appear there is a lot more to this. Do not discount the situation or doubt that something does not add up here and as for Debbie she’s welcome here anytime – you go girl!! The press here are too weak, no backbone whatsoever and as for their opinion – they have none worth listening to!

welcome downunder anytime Debbie on September 22, 2009 at 10:07 am

We need people like Debbie downunder (Australia) to stir the pot with the corruption in politics we have here ..it’s a real joy to have someone intelligent, a woman, a journalist and an attorney all in one bundle have the guts to provide an educated opinion on happenings around the world where something should never be discounted. I don’t doubt this story is in someway connected with strange happenings. A woman (lebanese and a company direct) is murdered in a secure apartment in New York does not add up and it would appear there is a lot more to this. Do not discount the situation or doubt that something does not add up here and as for Debbie she’s welcome here anytime – you go girl!! The press here are too weak, no backbone whatsoever and as for their opinion – they have none worth listening to!

welcome downunder anytime Debbie on September 22, 2009 at 10:08 am

Maybe you don’t have to go as far as Dubai. “The Lebanese-born Obama campaign volunteer headed Royal Investments, LLC, which advised wealthy Arabs on investments.”
Were those investments illegal foreign contributions to zero’s campaign?

jcthoma1 on September 22, 2009 at 11:27 am

You don’t appreciate how “cheap” muzzies are… whether worth $5 billion or in debt $50,000 on credit cards. They are cheap.

But, they do have a LOT OF CLASS, all of it LOW.

goldenmike4393 on September 22, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Debbie,

With all due respect, your story is pure speculation. I’m a Lebanese who has lived my whole life in Dubai and moved to NYC over a year ago.

First, the U.A.E did not finance the 9/11 attacks nor did they give the hijackers any documents or ID’s. The only thing they did was allow the hijcakers to launder their money through Dubai banks, but I’m not sure if they knew they were terrorists. Also this was the only accusation the U.S government fired at the U.A.E after 9/11. Anyway I would like to stick to the murder and not go into conspiracies or arguments about 9/11.

I never completely rule out any possibility, but let me tell you that Dubai and the U.A.E are much smarter than that. Don’t jump to conclusions just because of the “Sheikh Issa” case. Not all royalty and Sheikhs are bad people, though some do take advantage or their powers in one form or another.

The last thing Dubai and the U.A.E want is to be in the public eye for a negative story. They have the brains, they have the money, and they have the resources. If they really wanted to kill Bejjani, it would have been extremely professional, and certainly not in their hotel.

One last thing, if Dubai had any interest in killing her, they would have done so on U.A.E soil and not American soil. It would be much easier for them and they would not have to worry about the consequences of the investigation.

R: The fact that you lived in Dubai gives you no special insight. It only means, as your comment displays, that you are a shill for the Dubaian govt. In fact, Dubai and the UAE did much more than that for the 9/11 hijackers, just as they are now doing for Iran in being a central shipping point for Iranian nuclear materials and mechanisms. And just as they continued to recognize the Taliban into December 2001, more than two months after the 9/11 attacks. After 9/11, Dubai and the UAE stonewalled the FBI and the U.S. and refused to cooperate for six months to a year in the investigation of the 9/11 attacks, for no small reason. Stop lying. And, no, the Dubaians aren’t that smart. Very rich, but very dumb. DS

Reef on September 22, 2009 at 12:56 pm

Shill I am not. I’m afraid I have a more westernized mind and way of thought than you can imagine. The fact that I lived there (and my family still does) only gave me more of an insight of how everything is run. No it is not as heavenly as it is pictured, yet it is not the devil you accuse it of being.

I am very much NOT an Arab who is anti-Israeli or anti-American, but I am a person with the opinion that the U.S pretty much dictates Middle Eastern policy and that includes the U.A.E. You have to understand that the U.A.E is a tiny country of 4 million people (20% locals 80% expats) that has a dangerous neighbour in the name of Iran. They have to somewhat balance their policy of being friendly with both the U.S and Iran.

The U.S uses the U.A.E as a pawn for several of its strategic (or unstrategic) moves/policies in the Middle East. Although several controversies have surfaced over the past few years, their relationship on a governmental/executive level is very strong.

On the other hand, the U.A.E does not have a choice except to be friendly with Iran. 1) Iran is the U.A.E’s biggest trade partner. If that stops, the U.A.E loses a lot of money. 2) The population of Iranians in the U.A.E is huge and they run a big part of the economy. Plus the threat that Iran provides with its weapons does not give the U.A.E much of a choice.

I would like you to understand that I am not supporting any sides policies nor am I justifying anything. Just saying reality.

Reef

Reef on September 22, 2009 at 2:16 pm

This was my original post deleted due to censorship of this web site. It is a shame that a so called “Journalist” believes in raw censorship.

I think that your conspiracy theory does not have a leg to stand on. If I were one of her wealthy clients and wanted to kill her, I would hire a professional assassin rather than an amateur emo. I would find a place to kill her as if it were random violence. It would be stupid to do it in a high end condo/hotel where surveillance is difficult to avoid. And lastly, but not the least, it is just bad for the business to have someone killed in the hotel where I have some investment interest in.

The attempt to generalize an unfortunate event to provoke bad feelings against Arabs is obvious and silly. I am sure that you do not have any sympathy for the victim of this case; rather you just want to victimize her dead body to further your own agenda.

Jason Chen on September 22, 2009 at 1:48 am

PS: Banning IP addresses does not work well.

Censored on September 22, 2009 at 11:34 pm

Come on Jason, it doesn’t take a long stretch to connect the dots and speculate whether Dubai contacts wanted to off the lady.

The story is very suspect, and the guy is a character right out of some comedio-horra film, maybe by Quentin Tarantino. I just looked up one of the latest versions, I think it was Gothamist or some other, he said, I want what I want when I want it, when I am drunk, I want whatever I want. Really?

Has he a history of this, his neighbor’s testimony seems to indicate the opposite. He has been employed for about 10 years, has he been wandering around drunk before? How to explain his sudden claim that he is always like this? When before we want to know.

Would a drunk return to his place of work to make trouble or go home. Would he zero in on just the one woman. Why? Did he think this 40 something lady was the one who would give him what he wanted, whatever it was.

He left his personal effects there also, including his work schedule. Ya think he wanted to be found maybe? Why? Is he being paid off to get rolled?

Finally some newspapers have reported the missing jewellery angle, do you think a hotel like Essex House routinely has guests who have their jewellery filched? I think that too is suspect.

Finally the victim apparently asked one of her associates for an extra card and said she would give it to the front desk so they could call him if there was trouble.

Why did she sense danger and from whom, why was she living in that expensive suite, NY has plenty of apartments and surely lots if you don’t mind forking over plenty of benjamins.

Where was her family and who is this sister.

Work associates say she was a sweet, sweet woman. I don’t doubt that, I just wonder if somebody was sending a message w offing her and told this guy to take the fall. It’s very suspicious and if she came from Columbia, the country, not the city, wouldn’t you ask as much, for instance.

Also if she came from New Jersey for instance. Dubai doesn’t have the corner on thugs, but it does have a lot of thugs, you don’t have to be against Arabs to know it is a thug country.

MinnieB9 on September 23, 2009 at 5:45 am

Hello C on September 23, I see the Shaikh Lubna thang has got a hearty response from you, ha, ha, ha. That little passport photo on the link you provided is very sweet and all, but do we know who she is, really.

How do we even know it was her who attended all the classes at Chico and do we even know Lubna is a girl. She could be a tranny or a eunuch, both are quite common in Arab lore and part of palace politics and intrigue and right now they could be chuckling in their knickers thinking how they fooled us into being warm and fuzzy for the good ole boy.

That goes double for the so called woman minister just elected to Iran cabinet, BTW. She turned up in an all black snugglebunny sitting cozily next to the defense minister who the American newspapers say is implicated in the Argentine terror bombing. Real cozily, but is it even a she, how would we know.

Why was she the only chick ratified when the Ahmedinutsi gave them 3 chick names for the cabinet.

I think we do have legitimate questions about identity and creds, especially when they flaunt their so called creds at us and ask us to give them all our ports or our defense or medical systems. Wouldn’t you want to know who is representing you. How would you like Madeline albright or Hillary Clinton to go around in a blue snugglebunny all day, I think I have a totally legitimate issue here, really. Plus, we have the advantage that we already know how they look and behave, they have a long history in school, college and in public life, we know who they are.

Do you know who this so called Shaikh Lubna is, and how. Why should we trust her for instance. How do we know she is not a covert gangster using her snugglebunny disguise for nefarious activities and plotting, why shouldn’t we find out.

MinnieB9 on September 23, 2009 at 5:55 am

Andree was a Lebanese Catholic woman.
I live in Dubai, take any of the three daily direct Emirates airbus 380 flight from New York to Dubai, spend few hours or few days, go back to your place and rewrite your analysis….. you will be surprised with the result…. what you wrote now is just rubbish.

frank on September 23, 2009 at 6:28 am

My dear Minnie, its Shaikha Lubna and not Shaikh as Shaikha in Arabic refers to a female member of the royal family.

She is extrememly educated and has been honored with several awards from the U.S and Europe.

Here is some info on her http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubna_Khalid_Al_Qasimi

Stop being ignorant and do your extensive research to find out more about people. I promise you there exists a world outside of the U.S.A!

Reef on September 23, 2009 at 4:21 pm

Hey people, I actually know Derrick Praileau, come from N.Y.C. and have a little knowledge of police tactics with regards to obtaining a confession. After eight to twelve hours of interigation, sleep deprivation, scar tactics and threats about what will happen to your children, they could get a 25 year old to confess to killing Jimmy Hoffa (to the slower ones, that was at least 10 years before that person was born). The only way to the NYPD to back off is to say lawyer and hope it’s being recorded.

I knew a good person and I ask that you let all the facts come to light before you pass judgement. Get your information straight. This is no animalistic repeat offender with whom the law failed to keep locked up. This is a family man who is caught up in the worst situation.

M: That’s the point of this post. I don’t believe Praileau did this on his own. I believe he was induced by forces from Dubai. AS you point out and as I have, he’s a family man and simply doesn’t fit the profile. DS

Melvin on September 23, 2009 at 5:25 pm

Interesting situation, an implausable perp, Arab owned Hotel, Lebanese Christian female victim all in the cesspool NYC is during the UN pig party and an AlQ terror threat….someone will write a best seller about this one!

WestRight on September 24, 2009 at 9:15 am

quiero dejar claro que nuestra querida Sara Andrea Bejjani era una mujer proveniente y originaria del Libano, con mucho empeño y dedicación trabajo años de años para alcanzar el exito,no se dedico a explotar ni a negros ni blancos, porque fue una mujer de principios Morales y Cristiano,; ya basta de tantas especulaciones, Sara fue victima de un hombre sin increpulos, sin corazón que quiso acabar con su vida,..Ella no merecia esa muerte tan fatal, sin embargo estamos seguros de que sara ya esta en el Cielo con Dios pq ella siempre fue una mujer trasparente, sana,buena, y sin malicia. Su familia desde Venezuela pide JUSTICIA, que pague ese criminal. Descansa en Paz Sara, tu familia ora por tu descanso eterno.

MARIA on September 24, 2009 at 6:07 pm

A closer look please…..I agree this story is strange, but I’m sure if someone in Dubai that high wanted to commit a crime it would involve a suicide not a murder. A housekeeping manager has complete access to every room in any hotel..(Ask One I know a lot).

Now who wanted her dead I’m sure someone. Investments in Dubai took a huge hit. So I’m sure someone did this and it wasn’t such a random act.

If you recall last year a Lebanese singer Susan Tamin was found murdered in her apartment in Dubai. A ex-Egyptian police officer was arrested in connection with the murder which led to the arrest of a politician and billionaire in Egypt. They both received the death penalty. So do I believe this lady was killed by a not so random act. YES!!! Is it a prominent Member of the Ruling Party in the U.A.E…Try again…But hopefully the truth will come out soon…

Alex Durham on September 24, 2009 at 8:33 pm

You idiots; She is Lebanese and she is Christian Maronite- I know her and her family in Lebanon! Her family is so proud of her,,,what a shame to have her killed.

And by the way, though 44 years old, she is really very very sexy with very very showy clothes, makeup and expensive accessories (this is the case of most Lebanese)…you would say she is only 25 years when you meet her.

I don’t think what I have read makes any sense!
These buildings are really turning out to be

Lora on October 4, 2009 at 2:33 pm

You idiots, including the publisher of this page, Andree (Sarah) Bejjani is A CHRISTIAN LEBANESE, so quit it with your stupid and ugly remarks, and get your facts straight, it does not matter where she is from, what her religion is, she was murdered, an ugly murder, and that is the end of it, put it to rest, and just pray for her soul. You will all be judged by the way you judge others.

Armand on October 4, 2009 at 10:45 pm

Go back to your cave and crawl under the rock from which you came. How many times have you been to Dubai. How long have yo lived there. Your analysis is amateur at best. Living in Dubai doesn’t give you insight???? You are a racist, pure and simple. With a name like Schlussel, its clear that you are not originally American… look back on your family tree and you will find that your origins are from Europe… so be tolerant, get educated, and have a clue about what you are talking about… or put your pointed white hood back on

TA: Um, I can’t go to Dubai, clueless one. I have Israeli stamps in my passport. And get a clue. Even if I could go, I wouldn’t want to. You couldn’t pay me enough to go to that glorified desert full of savages and neo-Nazis in keffiyeh. DS

Tamer Abdelaal on January 17, 2010 at 9:18 am

This was not a hit! With all the money Dubai has don’t you think they would have sent a professional to do the job? He was drunk, he broke night he came to work 3 hrs before his shift started he went to her apartment to sleep it off he knew that she was always in and out of the country which is why he didn’t even bother to check if she was in house or not. He made a terrible mistake it should never have happened. His family is also mourning a loss they will never be able to be with him unless they go visit him in prison which might as well serve as their very own version of a cemetery.

Twocents on February 6, 2010 at 9:26 pm

I know Derrick personally and this is not something that he would do. He’s a loving father and husband. New evidence has come to light. It turns out the victim had somebody else’s DNA found on her body and the knife and rope did not have Derrick’s prints on it. Evidence also shows that the victim fought off her attacker but if they say Derrick did this why doesn’t he have any marks on him. So before you go running your mouth get the facts first. To Melvin you are right in alot of things you say. The detectives did alot of things wrong and hopefully that will come to light too. They will do anything to get a confession. Derrick’s confession was coerced. As for goldenmike no his mortgage was not paid, he did not have a car and his kids did not attend private school. People like you should shut the hell up if you don’t know what your talking about. Don’t believe everything you read in the paper. They are the first ones to give you false information. Hopefully they will investigate further and find out who this other DNA belongs to instead of pinning it on Derrick.

Ana on April 22, 2010 at 11:46 am

This is a racial and hate crime against Lebanese business people. Reports from many African natins targeting the Lebanese business in many African countries as an anti-Lebanese policy of hate and retaliation for their success. When I was in Newyork myself with my kids, the African woman bus driver refusd to let me in the bus with my kids and the stroller, while the next bus white driver let me in without any problem. Racial hate by African American against many Lebanese business people is very common problem.

Cadmus on June 21, 2011 at 3:02 pm