Tinley Park, IL: Man pleads not guilty to wife's beating death

TINLEY PARK, Ill. (AP) — A northern Illinois man has pleaded not guilty to charges he beat his wife to death with a weightlifting curling bar in an attack that took place in front of their 4-year-old son.

Bahaa Sam is charged with first-degree murder in the Dec. 19 death of his wife, Nermeen Sam.

Prosecutors say he chased his 38-year-old wife out of their Tinley Park house, struck her on the head more than 10 times with the weightlifting bar and then left her for dead.

He is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.

Sam appeared in court Friday for his arraignment. He was scheduled to return to court Feb. 8.

The SouthtownStar reports (http://bit.ly/11qZIo3 ) that Bahaa Sam had faced domestic violence accusations in the past.