(Photo : Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Attorneys for the gunman who murdered 10 Black people in a racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store are arguing the convicted killer should be exempt from the death penalty.
An Erie County Court judge sentenced the Buffalo mass shooting suspect on Wednesday to life behind bars for killing 10 Black people in a supermarket in May 2022.
The judge, Susan Eagan, reproached the white supremacist, telling him there was no place for his hateful and evil ideology in a civilized society. She added that there could be no mercy, understanding, or second chances for the defendant. Eagan said that the damage the suspect, Payton Gendron, caused was too significant, saying he would never be a free man again.
Buffalo Mass Shooter Given Life Sentence
The emotional sentencing gave the family members of the victims of the horrific shooting a chance to confront the killer directly. Many evoked the memories of their loved ones, including sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and fathers who lost their lives that day.
After the statements, the defendant read from a statement where he apologized to the families of his victims. "I cannot express how much I regret all the decisions I made leading up to my actions on May 14th. I did a terrible thing that day," as per Buffalo News.
Gendron said that he killed his victims for the sole reason they were Black, adding that looking back, he could not believe he went through with the brutal act. He noted that he believed what he read online and was spurred to act by hate.
The defendant's statement lasted less than a minute before Judge Eagan delivered a treatise about the history of racism in the United States. She noted that the ugly truth in the country was that it was found and built, in part, on white supremacy.
However, Eagan said that the community of Buffalo had shown its character after the way that its residents responded to the racist murders. She noted that she was "immensely proud" and grateful for how the people of the area rejected the evil and hate that Gendron inflicted on their community.
During the hearing, one man lunged at Gendron, forcing security personnel to clear the courtroom and the temporary suspension of the trial. According to Yahoo News, the suspect had pleaded guilty to carrying out the Buffalo mass shooting at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
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Rebuking the Horrific Act
During the impact statements, Barbara Massey Mapps, the sister of 72-year-old Katherine Massey, addressed Gendrone directly. She said the defendant killed her sister, whom she called her "best friend."
Mapps then said that what she wanted to do at that moment was to choke the defendant, who traveled 300 miles from his home armed with an AR-15-style rifle to conduct the attack. With her voice rising in anger, the family of one of the victims said that the defendant did not know any Black people.
A man standing behind Mapps suddenly pushed her aside and lunged at the defendant, forcing security personnel to hold him back and escort Gendron away. As he was being led out of the courtroom, the man said the other people did not understand what they were going through.
However, Judge Eagan said they could not allow such behavior inside the courtroom, noting that they must conduct themselves appropriately because they are better than that. In the end, the judge's sentencing of the defendant found him guilty of each terrorism and murder charge, said CNN.
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