EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – As the federal hate crimes case against the El Paso Walmart mass shooter concludes, Texas state prosecutors are making ready to take Patrick Wood Crusius to court docket as soon as once more. And this time, his life can be on the road.
“I want to emphasize that nothing that happens in the federal courthouse will affect what happens in the state courthouse,” El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks mentioned on Thursday. “We are still going to be prosecuting the Walmart shooter. We are still going to be seeking the death penalty.”
Crusius has pleaded responsible to federal hate crimes and weapons costs. Senior U.S. Federal District Judge David C. Guaderrama is predicted to sentence him to 90 consecutive phrases of life in jail on Friday underneath the plea settlement.
Crusius, who in accordance to investigators on the morning of Aug. 3, 2019, drove 10 hours from North Texas to El Paso to “kill Mexicans,” will go stay on federal custody on the El Paso County Jail till October or November. Twenty-three individuals died within the assault and 22 others sustained accidents.
“We originally thought we would have him back in our custody a little sooner,” Hicks mentioned. “We’ve waited four years to prosecute him, waiting another couple of months is not going to change anything.”
The state is charging Crusius with one depend of capital homicide involving a number of victims, and 22 counts for aggravated assault, the DA mentioned at a information convention Thursday in his workplace.
“Although (the charges) come out of the same incident, the federal charges are hate-crime oriented and for the use of a firearm. Our case is simpler, more straightforward. He committed murder of multiple people at one time. (That’s) capital murder,” Hicks mentioned.
The district lawyer declined to reply some reporters’ questions due to a gag order issued by State District Judge Sam Medrano. But the DA emphasised his dedication to safe a conviction and provides the jury the choice to sentence the defendant to loss of life.
“One of my number one objectives, when I took this job, was to get the Walmart case back on track. We have done that,” Hicks mentioned. “We have a dedicated highly skilled qualified team of prosecutors, investigators and staff members dedicated to prosecuting nothing but the Walmart case. Whenever Judge Medrano tells us, we will be ready to prosecute this case.”
No date has been set but for the state capital homicide trial against Crusius, and the DA’s Office can solely estimate it’s going to take place someday in 2024 or early 2025.
Hicks mentioned it was a “tremendous burden” to determine on whether or not to search the loss of life penalty against the shooter due to sturdy group feelings on the difficulty.
“Ultimately, the decision will be left in the jury’s hands […] I felt it is appropriate that a jury reach that decision, not us,” he mentioned.
