EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Walmart murder suspect is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts of hate crimes next month when he is reindicted in federal court.
Patrick Wood Crucisas was ordered to appear in person before U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderama on Wednesday, February 8 at 10:00 am. , 2019, attack at Cielo Vista Walmart.
Federal prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty against Crusius in Wednesday’s filing. The state has previously indicated its intention to seek the death penalty, but will have to wait for the completion of a federal hearing to schedule its trial.
At a state court hearing in November, defense attorney Joe Spencer argued: Will it be God’s time or will it be Human’s time, it’s just a question,” Spencer said. We have endeavored to give the community a final judicial decision.”
New District Attorney Bill Hicks, along with a newly hired special counsel, appears before Judge Sam Medrano in the 409th District Court Wednesday afternoon to set a timeline for the state’s case against the shooter. It’s a schedule. The district attorney’s office had previously indicated its intention to seek the death penalty in state cases.
On July 1, 2022, a gag order was issued while former district attorney Yvonne Rosales was in office, and officials were unable to comment on the case. A hearing in Judge Medrano’s court in December about possible violations of that gag order revealed possible witness intimidation from Rosales’ office. She eventually resigned during her petition for removal and her oral argument hearing.
Appointed district attorney Bill Hicks is also subject to the same hush order, but has spoken publicly about the Walmart trial at least twice since taking office. I don’t know.
