https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/crime/2024/02/21/hearing-set-in-death-penalty-case-stemming-from-el-paso-walmart-shooting/72660888007/The state's death penalty case against the El Paso Walmart mass shooter remains in limbo as a district court judge, for the third time, will hear if prosecutors and defense attorneys are finally ready to move forward toward a trial date.
El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks, his team of prosecutors and the gunman's attorneys will appear at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, before Judge Sam Medrano of the 409th District Court to discuss when both sides believe they can begin handling pretrial motions and possibly be ready for trial.
Accused El Paso Walmart mass shooter Patrick Crusius is arraigned Thursday, October, 10, 2019 in the 409th state District Court with Judge Sam Medrano presiding. Crusius, a 21-year-old male from Allen, Texas, stands accused of killing 22 and injuring 25 in the Aug. 3 mass shooting at an East El Paso Walmart in the seventh deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history and third deadliest in Texas. Crusius entered a not guilty plea along side his attorneys Mark Stevens and Joe Spencer.
Thursday's hearing comes four years, six months and 19 days since Patrick Crusius came to El Paso and gunned down shoppers at an El Paso Walmart in a racially-motived mass shooting targeting Hispanics. The Aug. 3, 2019, mass shooting left 23 people dead and dozens more injured.
The hearing will be the third in the past six months where Medrano asked state prosecutors and defense attorneys to give him an update on their progress on the case and when he could possibly schedule a trial date.
Hearings in September and January both resulted in no trial date being set as both sides continue blaming the other for the delays.
