Patrick Crusius' lawyer fights death penalty

Patrick Crucius, accused of killing 22 people in El Paso, Texas.

A court-appointed lawyer for the man accused of shooting 22 people in El Paso, Texas, says he will do everything he can to ensure his client is not executed.

Twenty-one-year-old Patrick Crusius has been charged with capital murder in state court for the Saturday massacre.

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Crusius may face federal hate-crime charges that could also come with a death sentence if he's convicted.

Lawyer Mark Stevens told The Associated Press in an email on Wednesday that he "will use every legal tool available to me to prevent" Crusius from being put to death.

Stevens, a veteran criminal defence lawyer from San Antonio, said he will only represent Crusius in state court and declined to comment further on the case.

A judge appointed him Monday

Source: Australian Associated Press, Staff, August 8, 2019

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