White Teen Who Shot 10 Black People Wants to Move Trial, Citing Unfair Sentencing
Nationwide — Payton Gendron, a white teen who killed 10 Black people in a racially motivated mass shooting at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York in 2022, wants his federal trial moved to New York City. He claims he can’t get a fair trial in Western New York because of heavy media coverage and the case’s impact on local communities.
Gendron pleaded guilty to state charges in November 2022 and is now serving life without parole. He still faces federal charges, which could lead to the death penalty. His federal trial is scheduled for September. In a new court filing, Gendron’s lawyers say it’s “impossible” to find an impartial jury “due to the overwhelming amount of pretrial publicity, combined with the impact of this case on Buffalo’s segregated communities of color,” according to ABC News.
His lawyers are asking the court to move the trial to the Southern District of New York, which covers Manhattan, the Bronx, and nearby suburbs. They believe a jury there would be more diverse and less influenced by local media. Federal prosecutors haven’t yet responded to the request.
Victims’ families are against the move. Barbara Massey Mapps, whose sister was killed, said, “We don’t want that.” Wayne Jones, who lost his mother in the attack, said moving the trial would prevent families from attending. “I want him to stay here so I can see the trial,” he said.
Jones also said the video Gendron livestreamed during the attack makes the case clear and believes the death penalty should remain on the table.
Moreover, Gendron has separately asked the judge to remove the death penalty as a punishment, arguing it’s being pursued with discriminatory intent. The judge has not yet ruled on this request.
During his 2023 sentencing, Gendron apologized to the victims’ families “for stealing the lives of your loved ones.” He said, “I did a terrible thing that day. I shot people because they were Black.”
Prosecutors say Gendron spent months planning the attack, driving over three hours to scout the location and choosing a time when the store would be crowded with Black shoppers. He wore body armor and used a modified AR-15 during the shooting.
