Accused El Paso shooter will plead guilty to federal hate crime charges

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The man accused of murdering 23 individuals at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 will plead guilty to federal hate crimes charges, his attorneys stated in a courtroom submitting on Saturday.

The announcement comes 4 days after the U.S. Justice Department introduced that it would not seek the death penalty in federal charges in opposition to Patrick Crusius. The Aug. 3, 2019, mass capturing was the deadliest assault concentrating on Hispanics within the nation’s historical past.

The announcement that Crusius would plead guilty was in a movement filed by protection legal professional Felix Valenzuela asking that his consumer be re-arraigned on the federal charges.

U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama on Monday set the re-arraignment for 10 a.m., Feb. 8.

Crusius, 24, of Allen, is charged with 23 counts of hate crime leading to loss of life, 23 counts of use of a firearm to commit homicide in a crime of violence, 22 counts of hate crime in an try to kill, and 22 counts of use of a firearm throughout a crime of violence. With the loss of life penalty off the desk, the utmost federal sentence he faces is life in jail.

His federal trial has been scheduled for January 2024.

Crusius additionally faces state charges that embrace 23 counts of capital homicide, which doubtlessly carry the loss of life penalty. No trial date has been set on the state charges, although 409th District Judge Sam Medrano Jr. has scheduled a standing listening to on Wednesday.

In courtroom, Crusius’ attorneys have stated he has a psychological sickness that might preclude the loss of life penalty.

Law enforcement officers have stated that Crusius drove 10 hours from North Texas to El Paso earlier than stopping on the Cielo Vista Walmart, the place he opened fireplace with a semi-automatic rifle within the car parking zone and within the retailer.

Moments earlier than he started capturing, Crusius allegedly posted a screed on an internet site in style with white supremacists saying the assault was “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”