Payton Gendron federal trial begins in Buffalo supermarket shooting case

Payton Gendron Buffalo supermarket shooting federal hate crime trial death penalty white supremacy

Jury selection has commenced in the federal trial of Payton Gendron, the man responsible for the 2022 mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York. The attack, which killed ten Black people and wounded three others, is considered one of the deadliest hate-motivated shootings targeting Black people by a lone gunman in the last century.

Gendron, who is already serving multiple life sentences in state court following a 2023 guilty plea, faces 27 federal charges. These include 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, three counts of attempted hate crimes, and various firearms offenses. The Justice Department is pursuing the death penalty, alleging that Gendron specifically targeted the supermarket because it served a predominantly Black neighborhood.

While Gendron's defense team does not intend to dispute his guilt, they aim to present mitigating evidence to prevent a federal death sentence. The trial focuses on the explicitly racist motives behind the attack, including Gendron's embrace of white supremacist conspiracy theories and his decision to livestream portions of the assault.

Entities

Buffalo · Celestine Chaney · Justice Department · Lawrence Vilardo · Payton Gendron · Tops Friendly Market · Tops Friendly Market

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 5 SOURCES] The 2022 shooting at Tops Friendly Market is considered the deadliest hate-motivated shooting targeting Black people by a lone gunman in the last century. www.whec.com · abc7ny.com · listinusa.net · www.newsday.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Justice Department alleges Payton Gendron targeted the Tops Friendly Market to kill Black people because it served a predominantly Black neighborhood. aframnews.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The defense team will not dispute Gendron's guilt but will present mitigating evidence to avoid a death sentence. www.whec.com · abc7ny.com · www.newsday.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Payton Gendron faces 27 federal charges, including 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death and three hate-crime counts involving attempted killings. aframnews.com
[● 6 SOURCES] Gendron is already serving life in prison without parole following a 2023 guilty plea to state murder and domestic-terrorism charges. aframnews.com · www.whec.com · abc7ny.com · listinusa.net · www.newsday.com
[● 6 SOURCES] The Justice Department is pursuing the death penalty in the federal case. aframnews.com · listinusa.net · www.whec.com · abc7ny.com · www.newsday.com