Federal Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for White Supremacist Who Killed 10 Black People in Buffalo Supermarket
Federal prosecutors announced on Friday that they will seek the death penalty against Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. Gendron, 20, is already serving a life sentence with no chance of parole after pleading guilty to state charges of murder and hate-motivated domestic terrorism in the 2022 attack.
Death Penalty Option in Federal Hate Crimes Case
New York does not have capital punishment, but the Justice Department had the option to seek the death penalty in a separate federal hate crimes case against Gendron. In exchange for not pursuing the death penalty, Gendron promised to plead guilty in that case. The victims’ families and prosecutors have not yet commented on this development.
Rarity of Federal Death Penalty Cases
The Justice Department has made federal death penalty cases rare since President Joe Biden, a Democrat who opposes capital punishment, took office. Attorney General Merrick Garland implemented a moratorium on federal executions in 2021 while reviewing procedures. Although the moratorium does not prevent prosecutors from seeking death sentences, the Justice Department has done so sparingly.
However, the Justice Department successfully sought the death penalty for an antisemitic gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue. It also pursued a death sentence against an Islamic extremist who killed eight people on a New York City bike path, resulting in a life sentence due to a lack of a unanimous jury decision. The department declined to seek the death penalty in other mass killings, such as the Walmart shooting in El Paso, Texas.
Mixed Views on Death Penalty
Relatives of the victims in the Buffalo case have expressed mixed views on whether federal prosecutors should pursue the death penalty. Mark Talley, whose mother was killed in the attack, stated that he would rather see Gendron imprisoned for life in the community he attacked than be executed.
The Horrific Attack
On May 14, 2022, Gendron drove over 200 miles from his rural home in Conklin, New York, to a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo. He targeted the supermarket due to its location in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Gendron livestreamed the massacre from a camera attached to his tactical helmet as he attacked shoppers and workers with a semi-automatic rifle.
The victims ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included eight customers, the store security guard, and a church deacon who provided transportation for shoppers. Three individuals were wounded but survived. The rifle used by Gendron was marked with racial slurs and phrases, including “The Great Replacement,” which refers to a conspiracy theory about diminishing the influence of white people.
With the decision to seek the death penalty, the case against Payton Gendron continues to unfold as justice is sought for the victims and their families.
