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Since the federal government is not seeking the death penalty against a white supremacist who shot and killed 23 people at a Texas Wal-Mart, why did the federal government file hate crime charges?
Wordpress ^ | September 21, 2023 | Daniel Alman (aka Dan from Squirrel Hill)

Posted on 01/21/2023 9:59:32 AM PST by grundle

Associated Press recently reported:

US won’t seek death penalty for alleged Texas Walmart gunman

January 18, 2023

Federal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for a man accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019.

The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed the decision not to pursue capital punishment against Patrick Crusius in a one-sentence notice filed Tuesday with the federal court in El Paso.

Crusius, 24, is accused of targeting Mexicans during the Aug. 3 massacre that killed 23 people and left dozens wounded. The Dallas-area native is charged with federal hate crimes and firearms violations, as well as capital murder in state court. He has pleaded not guilty.

Federal prosecutors did not explain in their court filing the reason for their decision, though Crusius still could face the death penalty if convicted in state court.

Crusius surrendered to police after the attack, saying, “I’m the shooter,” and that he was targeting Mexicans, according to an arrest warrant. Prosecutors have said he published a screed online shortly before the shooting that said it was “in response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”

I don’t understand the purpose of filing federal hate crime charges if the federal government is not seeking the death penalty.

Since the federal government is not seeking the death penalty, I would prefer that the federal government drop all charges, and let the state of Texas handle this. Texas would definitely seek the death penalty.

For the record, I am against passing hate crimes laws, but I am in favor of enforcing the hate crime laws that are already on the book.

Also, in my opinion, if a person is convicted of first degree murder, and there is video proof, then I support executing that person. This particular crime happened in a place where there are cameras everywhere.


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1 posted on 01/21/2023 9:59:32 AM PST by grundle
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To: grundle

I kind of see the point of ‘hate crime’ laws. I think if the perps target a person because of politics, race, or religion it’s a good thing to increase the sentence. Obviously, anyone committing a crime of violence against another human should really only be subject to either life in solitary or death, but just in case the only charges that they can make stick are less than that, *all* criminals who deprive others of life, liberty, or property need to be put away for a few decades minimum; anything that helps with that is a Good Thing.


2 posted on 01/21/2023 10:04:00 AM PST by Aeneas2112 (YOU are your own first responder)
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To: grundle

There is no need to create fictitious crimes.

The crime of murder is enough to jail him. Making it a hate crime to jail him harder does what exactly?


3 posted on 01/21/2023 10:13:03 AM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…)
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To: grundle

Capital murder should be the primary charge, not “hate crime” as shown in the article.

He should be put to death for murdering those people.

Murder is a hate crime.


4 posted on 01/21/2023 10:14:11 AM PST by I want the USA back (News media are pond scum. My pronouns: Haha, heehee, hoho. )
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To: grundle

If you kill 23 people will love, that really makes is so much better.


5 posted on 01/21/2023 10:25:42 AM PST by PGR88
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To: I want the USA back
Murder is a hate crime.

Yes - and determining the actual motivations and intentions of any human being is an uncertain process, that is best left to fortune tellers and clairvoyants...

;^)

6 posted on 01/21/2023 10:29:06 AM PST by Who is John Galt? ("...mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!")
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To: grundle

Why? Because “hate crimes” are harder to defend against. If this becomes the norm, then it’s much easier to jail “dissidents”.


7 posted on 01/21/2023 11:27:13 AM PST by FrankRizzo890
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To: grundle

Rhetorical question: If premeditated murder of 23 innocent people isn’t enough to earn the death penalty, what is? Did the lives of those 23 matter in the eyes of the feds? I guess not.

Also — Isn’t murder a state crime? Hopefully Texas will try him, convict on 23 counts of capital murder, sentence him to death 23 times over, and hang him.


8 posted on 01/21/2023 12:08:06 PM PST by Chewbarkah
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To: PGR88

“Bias crime” would be more apt. I can see making it an aggravating circumstance. “Hate crime” is virtue-signaling nonsense.


9 posted on 01/21/2023 12:34:41 PM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: grundle

hate crime laws should be applied to the jotato administration and the demonrats...


10 posted on 01/21/2023 12:41:17 PM PST by heavy metal (smiling improves your face value and makes people wonder what the hell you're up to... 😁)
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To: Aeneas2112

There is only racism in hate crime laws because everyone knows they will only be applied to white people.


11 posted on 01/21/2023 3:10:58 PM PST by joma89 (Buy weapons and ammo, folks, and have the will to use them.)
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To: grundle

FBI CI? Disappear him after a few weeks in Federal Prison?


12 posted on 01/21/2023 3:34:09 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (Biden not only suffers fools and criminals, he appoints them to positions of responsibility. )
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