Update: Justice Department Seeks To Pursue Death Penalty Against Buffalo, New York Supermarket Shooter That Killed 10 Black People!

( 📸: AP News )

Cousins! A new court filing issued on behalf of the Justice Department details that they are currently seeking to pursue the death penalty against the 2022 Buffalo, New York supermarket shooter!

As we previously reported Payton Gendron murdered ten Black customers within a racially motivated attack as they shopped at a local Tops Supermarket in May of 2022.

“The United States believes the circumstances in Counts 11-20 of the Indictment are such that, in the event of a conviction, a sentence of death is justified,” reads the court filing.

Payton’s lawyer states that the then 19-year-old had considered pleading guilty to the series of federal charges of the death penalty was taken off of the table, reports ABC News.

Sources state that Payton’s presence was waived by defense during Friday’s court hearing. However Judge Lawrence Vilardo said he would have to show up in court soon.

“There’s going to come a point in the relatively near future when he’s going to need to be here.”

Within the issued filing Federal prosecutors outlined justifications in which they believe a death sentence is deserved. “Gendron intentionally killed Roberta Drury, Pearl Young, Hayward Patterson, Ruth Whitfield, Celestine Chaney, Aaron W Salter Jr., Andre Mackniel, Marcus Morrison, Katherine Massey and Geraldine Talley.”

“Payton Gendron expressed bias, hatred, and contempt toward Black persons and his animus toward Black persons played a role,” reads an explanation from the Justice Department noting that Payton’s actions were intentional.

In response, Payton’s legal team says that they are disappointed in the DOJ’s decision to pursue the death penalty.

“Rather than a prolonged and trauMatic capital prosecution, the efforts of the federal government would be better spent on combatting the forces that facilitated this terrible crime, including easy access to deadly weapons and the failure of social media companies to moderate the hateful rhetoric and images that circulate online,” reads a statement from Payton’s lawyers.