A Black man who was fed up with racism is facing life in prison for a racially charged killing spree that left four white people dead.
via NYDN:
Kori Muhammad on Friday withdrew his “not guilty by reason of insanity plea,” just two days after jurors convicted him on a count of first-degree murder in the death of David Jackson and another three counts of second-degree murder in the slayings of Carl Williams, Zachary Randalls and Mark Gassett.
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the table, the Fresno Bee reported.
Muhammad, a black man whose defense said he was mentally ill, in a recorded confession to investigators admitted he shot Motel 6 security guard Williams on April 13. He also tried to kill another guard that night because he felt he had been disrespected by the pair during a previous visit.
“It starts taking its toll on you and you get fed up with the racism,” he said. “You get tired of letting things slide.”
Just days later, Muhammad drove through downtown Fresno shooting at white men upon realizing he was wanted in Williams’ slaying. He fired nearly 20 shots in the April 18, 2017 attack.
Randalls, 34, was shot in a Pacific Gas & Electric truck while 37-year-old Gassett and 58-year-old Jackson were found dead nearby.
“When I walked up to the truck, I saw a Mexican driver and a white guy,” Muhammad said. “I didn’t want to target the driver because he was Mexican so I shot the white dude.”
In his confession, Muhammad said that if he was “going down for murder” the best thing was to “kill as many white men” as he could. He was additionally convicted this week on charges including four counts of attempted murder; one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Muhammad’s sanity trial previously scheduled for Monday has been canceled and his sentencing has been set for May 22.
Racism is exhausting, yes, but you can’t just go around shooting up places.
