The white supremacist who killed ten people in a racist mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo intends to plead guilty to all state charges against him, according to attorneys for the victims’ families.
Monday is Payton Gendron’s scheduled court date, according to court documents. Thursday, his attorneys did not reply to phone messages or emails, and prosecutors declined to comment on the court appearance.
John Elmore, an attorney for the families of two of the ten Black victims of the massacre, stated that Gendron’s attorneys divulged in recent weeks that he intended to plead guilty to all counts in the state indictment and forego his right to appeal.
Elmore stated that he was willing to confirm the arrangement following Thursday’s news stories regarding the probable plea.
Terrence M. Connors, who represents seven of the victims’ family, stated that Gendron’s attorneys also briefed him on the strategy.
‘We have known for some time that it was likely he would plead guilty to each and every count in the 25-count indictment on Monday and get a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release,’ Connors said.
In June, a grand jury accused Gendron for murder, attempted murder, state domestic terrorism, and hate crime, all of which carry a mandatory life sentence.
Gendron, who is white, faces additional federal hate crime charges that carry the potential death penalty.
Gendron drove almost three hours to Buffalo, New York, from his home in Conklin, New York, with the intention of killing as many Black people as possible at a business he chose due to its location in a largely Black neighborhood. Before opening fire on May 14 with an AR-15-style weapon, he posted documents detailing his white nationalist beliefs and revealing that he had been planning the attack for months.
The victims ranged in age from 32 to 86 years old and included eight customers, a store security officer, and a church deacon who drove customers to and from the store with their supplies. Three individuals were injured but survived.
A spokesperson for Erie County District Attorney John Flynn stated that the office could not comment on the rumored guilty plea due to a gag order issued by the court.
Connors, who is collaborating with civil rights attorney Ben Crump on the case, stated that all involved agreed not to divulge the news until Thursday, when the hearing was added to the court’s calendar.
“This is but one chapter of accountability for this tragic event.” And more chapters are forthcoming,’ Connors said. Families are currently focused on doing anything they can to help East Buffalo recover from this terrible catastrophe.
At a press conference to address preparations for an anticipated winter storm, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Byron Brown were asked about the alleged plea and stated that the families require justice.
Brown stated, “It will be tough for the families, and it will reopen the wound, but I think it’s excellent that this man is pleading guilty.”