NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Four gang members allegedly involved in the killing five people in Virginia could face the death penalty. But federal prosecutors say they still need approval from Washington, D.C. to seek capital punishment.
The Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/2qPd9l4 ) that prosecutors in Norfolk are waiting for U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make a recommendation. It may come by the next court date in mid-June.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph DePadilla told a judge on Tuesday that his supervisors in Virginia have made their recommendation. So has the Justice Department’s “Capital Committee.” DePadilla declined to say what their recommendations were.
The four defendants allegedly went on an 18-day crime spree in Hampton Roads in 2015. Authorities have alleged that they were members of the Nine Trey Gangsters, an affiliate of the United Bloods Nation.
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