El Paso mass murder suspect pleads not guilty
(NAT SOUND)(ENGLISH) DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SAM MEDRANO, SAYING:
“...and to the indictments, do you issue a plea of guilty or not guilty?”
(SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) SUSPECT PATRICK CRUSIUS, SAYING:
“Not Guilty”
Twenty-one year-old Patrick Crusius pleaded not guilty in a Texas courtroom Thursday on charges of capital murder for a shooting spree at an El Paso Walmart that killed 22 people and injured an additional 26 on August 3rd.
Crusius is being accused of deliberately targeting Mexicans during the mass shooting and could face the death penalty if he is convicted.
(SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SAM MEDRANO, SAYING:
"Do you swear that the testimony that you are about to give in these proceedings shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god?"
(SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) SUSPECT PATRICK CRUSIUS, SAYING:
"Yes, I swear."
The suspect strolled into the courtroom trailing his two lawyers dressed in a navy sports jacket, white shirt and gray slacks and betrayed no emotion and only spoke twice during the arraignment.
Crusius is accused of driving 11 hours to El Paso from his hometown of Allen, near Dallas, on Aug. 3 and firing at shoppers with an AK-47 rifle inside the Walmart store.
He surrendered to officers who confronted him outside.
Most of those killed were Latinos.
