New Yorkers relieved as plea deal for 9/11 defendants is withdrawn

NEW YORK – The death penalty is again on the table for the accused mastermind of the September 11th terror attacks.
Friday night, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin scuttled a controversial plea deal that would have meant life in prison for Khalid Shaikh Mohammad. He said in a memo that a decision that significant should be made by him, not a military prosecutor.
Mohammad has been in United States custody since 2003. He and two others are likely to face trial in the next few years, and possible capital punishment. Jury selection is unlikely before 2026.
Critics did not hold back on a military prosecutor’s attempt this week to finally resolve the case against Mohammad and his alleged co-conspirators.
Rep. Mike Lawler called the plea deal a “boneheaded decision.”
“The trial should take place, and the process should play itself out,” he said. “Justice in this case would be the death penalty.”
Kathy Vigiano agrees. Her husband Joe, a New York City Police officer, and his brother John, a city firefighter, both died on 9/11.
“We were like, thank God. We’re just pleased the Secretary of Defense rescinded the plea deal,” she said. “We need a trial because … it’s not just about punishment, it’s about uncovering the full truth to secure justice for the families.”
In a statement, the president of New York City’s Police Benevolent Association said:
The president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association said in a statement:
Some, including New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, see a life-in-prison deal as a good option in a case that has dragged on for years, delayed by judges and lawyers coming and going, as well as legal challenges to incriminating evidence, such as Mohammad’s confession, which was obtained after he was repeatedly waterboarded.
“You always feel for the families. I mean, look, I’m a New Yorker. I will never, ever forget 9/11. People I knew died that day. And, you know, I’m telling you my personal position, but I understand them also, and … I do want them to have closure,” Meeks said.