Problem is that the crime didn't fit any of the criteria for federal homicide, so they had to settle for lesser charges if they wanted to pursue it as a federal case. A more strategic DOJ probably would have let the state handle it, since it was by all measures the core of the incident would have been a state crime rather than federal.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The ~~crime~~ charges they had evidence for. The feds fucked up the evidence.

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Even with evidence, murder is usually a state matter, with very specific circumstances required for it to be federal. It didn't meet those criteria.

[–] eggpl4nt@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Any death penalty charges were thrown out a while ago iirc. I think life in prison is the max he can get now.

[–] FundMECFS@piefed.zip 5 points 1 day ago

And sentencing guidelines suggest 25-30 years for what he plead guilty too.

So if he gets the guideline amount, good behaviour in prison, and state case dropped, could easily be walking free in his early 50s.

Probably a smart play by him tbh. Plus federal prisons tend to be much less horrible conditions than state prisons.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 1 day ago

Bondi tried to encourage it.