The avowed racist who killed 10 people during a supermarket rampage in Buffalo, New York, in May 2022, is expected to enter a plea when he appears in court on Monday.
The news that Payton S. Gendron will reportedly plead guilty comes from the lawyers representing the deceased victims’ families, according to News4Jax.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters that his office has been forbidden from confirming or denying the authenticity of the news based on the case due to the judge’s mandatory gag order.
Gendron had stated after the bloodbath that he was going to plead guilty to the charges. He left a manifesto that said he was going to attempt to kill as many Black people as he could when he drove four hours to the predominantly Black side of Buffalo.
A grand jury indicted Gendron in June 2022 on charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as state domestic terrorism and hate crime charges that could have carried a mandatory life sentence. He is also facing the prospect of the death penalty for federal hate crime charges.
Terrence M. Connors, the attorney for seven of the victims, indicated that Gendron won’t try to exonerate himself from the charges.
“We had known for some time that it is likely that on Monday, he will enter a plea of guilty to each and every count in the 25-count indictment, and that when sentencing comes, he will receive a sentence of life in prison without parole,” Connors said according to the news station.
“This is but one chapter of accountability for this horrible tragedy. And there are more chapters to come,” Connors added. “The families right now are focused on doing what they can to bring something positive to East Buffalo out of this horrible tragedy.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Byron Brown, who are not bound by the judge’s order of silence, told the news station they are pleased that the families will get some semblance of closure.
“It is going to be difficult for the families, it will open up that wound again,” Brown said, “but I think it’s good that this individual is pleading guilty.”
