Posted on 06/18/2026 12:05:01 PM PDT by DFG
Prosecutors said Tuesday that they will seek the death penalty for the Afghan national accused of killing one National Guard member and gravely wounding another in Washington, DC, last year.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, made a wild-eyed appearance in federal court, where he was hit with additional charges, some of which made him eligible for execution, if convicted, according to federal prosecutors.
Assistant US Attorney Christopher Tortorice said that the Justice Department would be initiating a formal review process for several of the “eligible” death counts.
Lakanwal wore an orange jumpsuit — and a much longer beard than previous photos of him show — when US Marshals wheeled him into the courtroom. He sustained injuries in the shooting the day before Thanksgiving.
At times, he could be seen muttering to himself.
While prosecutors insisted they had complied with requests for evidence, defense attorneys claimed that “almost no mitigation evidence” had been turned over, nor any details about Lakanwal’s past work for the US government.
A “considerable amount of evidence” has been withheld, including “substantial” unclassified and “significant” classified information, noted defense lawyer Michelle Peterson.
The attorney said that prosecutors have “documents” showing Lakanwal’s work for the US as well as witness interviews revealing he suffered from “mental illnesses.”
Tortorice disputed that his team hadn’t complied with evidentiary requests, pointing to “hundreds of hours” of surveillance camera footage and other video that had been turned over.
Special findings made by a federal grand jury will result in a review by the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Committee to consider whether the death penalty is appropriate in his case.
Prosecutors say he fatally shot West Virginia Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically injured US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe on Nov. 26, 2025.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
“Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, made a wild-eyed appearance in federal court”. He looks like I thought he might look like.
Inbred craziness......
Can we speed up the process? And can we start televising executions (as a deterrent)
Death to this scumbag is probably what he wants. I would prefer he be reside the rest of his life in the closet cell next to El Chapo f04 125 years whereupon he would become “eligible” for parole.
It is a disgrace that he is still alive this long after his crime.
According to the NYPost picture ... that’s wild eyed?
Since it’s federal, he will call for the Terre Haute Gurney.
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