Judge assigned to El Paso shooting case recuses herself, saying she knew one of the victims
The judge presiding over the case of a man accused of killing 22 people at an El Paso Walmart has recused herself. She said in a statement that she knew one of those killed on August 3.
State District Judge Angie Juárez Barill announced her recusal from the capital murder case of Patrick Crusius in a statement issued Wednesday, a week after her assignment to the case.
She also noted that her term of office ends in December 2020 since she's running for chief justice of the 8th Texas Court of Appeals and not her present seat. She said the case could go to a judge reasonably sure of seeing it through to completion.
The 21-year-old Crusius, of Allen, Texas, remains jailed without bond charged with capital murder of multiple persons. Prosecutors say they'll seek the death penalty.
Prosecutors have said Crusius surrendered to police after the attack saying, "I'm the shooter," and that he was targeting Mexicans.
A manifesto believed to have been written by the suspect and uploaded to the web forum 8chan expressed concerns about the growing Hispanic population of Texas. Officials have referenced the document and said the shooting may have a "nexus" to a hate crime.
