CNN
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The US government has said it will not seek the death penalty in a lawsuit against Patrick Crusius, who allegedly killed 23 people and injured nearly 20 at a Walmart in El Paso more than three years ago.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman did not give reasons for her refusal of the death penalty in a short one-line filing.
In Texas, however, the district attorney’s office last summer filed a notice seeking the death penalty in the state’s case against Crusius.
The federal government has indicted Crusius on 90 counts, including hate crimes and murder with a firearm. The August 3, 2019 shootings made him one of the deadliest attacks against Latinos in modern U.S. history.
Jury selection for the federal lawsuit is expected to begin in January 2024, according to court documents.
In September 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas agreed to set a January 17 deadline for filing notices on whether the government would seek the death penalty.
Meanwhile, the Texas lawsuit was bogged down by drama involving former district attorney Yvonne Rosales, who resigned in November. In that case, no trial date has been set.
Crusius has pleaded not guilty to state capital murder charges and federal charges.
