The man accused of targeting Hispanics when he allegedly killed 23 people at a Texas Walmart plans to plead guilty to federal hate-crime charges, new court papers reveal. Lawyers representing Patrick Crusius informed the feds over the weekend of his intent to change his plea to guilty in a court filing obtained by El Paso Matters. The Associating Press has the story:
Walmart shooting suspect to plead guilty to charges
Newslooks- EL PASO, Texas (AP)
The man accused of killing nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart plans to plead guilty to federal charges in the case, according to court records filed days after the federal government said it wouldn’t seek the death penalty in the case.
Patrick Crusius is still charged in state court with capital murder and could still face the death penalty in Texas if convicted in the 2019 mass shooting that killed 23 people.
In a court filing Saturday, defense attorneys asked for a hearing to be set so Crusius could plead guilty to federal charges. He was charged with federal hate crimes and firearms violations.
U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama, in an order Monday, set the hearing for Feb. 8 in El Paso.
Crusius surrendered to police after the attack, saying, “I’m the shooter, ” and that he was targeting Mexicans, according to an arrest warrant. Prosecutors have said he published a screed online shortly before the shooting that said it was “in response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”
