The white gunman charged with killing 10 Black people in a racist mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket pleaded not guilty Monday to federal hate crime charges that could be punishable by the death penalty.
Payton Gendron was indicted last week on hate crimes and weapons counts. The plea was entered in court by Gendron’s attorney, who said she hoped to resolve the case before trial. Wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackles, Gendron was silent during the brief arraignment.
The 27-count federal indictment contains special findings, including that Gendron engaged in substantial planning to commit an act of terrorism and took aim at vulnerable older people — specifically 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield, 77-year-old Pearl Young, 72-year-old Katherine Massey, 67-year-old Heyward Patterson and 65-year-old Celestine Chaney.
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