(VitalNews.org) – In August 2019, Patrick Wood Crusius allegedly drove for 11 hours from his home in Allen, Texas, to a Walmart Supercenter in El Paso, before pulling out a semi-automatic rifle, murdering 23 innocent people, and injuring many others. About a year after his arrest, the Department of Justice for the Western District of Texas announced a federal grand jury had decided to indict Crusius, charging him with hate crimes, murder, attempted murder, and weapons violations — 90 counts in total. At the time, the death penalty was still on the table.
On January 17, KFox14 reported the US Attorney’s office from the district filed a notice stating the government would not seek capital punishment against the defendant. Although the previous US Attorney for the district, John Bash, stated in early 2020 that he was going to try and have Crusius put to death for his crimes, power has since changed hands. Current federal prosecutors seem to have chosen differently.
El Paso Walmart shooting suspect won’t face death penalty on federal charges https://t.co/mrGZq1W1jB pic.twitter.com/yLusIhVWyv
— The Hill (@thehill) January 18, 2023
According to the superseding indictment against Crusius from 2020, the suspect pre-planned his attack. Before heading to Walmart, authorities believe the defendant ordered a semi-automatic rifle and a large number of hollow point ammunition rounds in preparation for the massacre.
Although federal prosecutors decided not the seek the death penalty, that doesn’t necessarily mean the suspect won’t face capital punishment. The state could still pursue that avenue of justice.
Crusius’ federal trial should start on January 8, 2024. State prosecutors do not yet have a date for their case, but KFox14 reported the attorneys will soon meet with the judge to iron out that detail.
What do you think? Should Crusius face the death penalty for his violent crimes?
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