Sunset Park subway shooting suspect Frank James pleads guilty to federal terrorism charges
NEW YORK -- Accused subway shooter Frank James pleaded guilty Tuesday to unleashing a barrage of gunfire inside a Brooklyn subway last April.
James admitted what prosecutors have maintained for nine months -- that he is the man who shot 10 people in that terrifying attack. Prosecutors said he planned the attack for years and even did a trial run.
The 63-year-old sat silently inside Brooklyn Federal Court, speaking only to explain his plea of guilty on 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack -- one count for each of the people shot that morning -- and another firearms charge.
During the height of the morning rush on April 12, James threw smoke grenades into a packed N train car and fired 30 rounds. Chaos ensued with 13 other people injured trying to escape the subway station as James took off on another train.
After a 31-hour manhunt, police arrested James in the East Village after several people, including James himself, called the police tip line to report where he was.
Tuesday, James told the court, "My intent was to cause serious bodily injury to people on the train. Although it was not my intention to cause death, I was fully aware that a death or deaths could occur as a result of my discharging a firearm in such an enclosed space as a subway car."
In the months leading up to the attack, James had posted rants on social media, complaining about the city's subway system and the mayor's approach to crime.
The max sentence for these federal terrorism charges is life in prison.
Because of his early admission of guilt, sentencing guidelines reduce that to roughly 37 years.
Prosecutors are asking the judge to give him more time because of the countless lives he endangered.
James is expected to be sentenced sometime this summer.
