A federal appeals court has overturned a plea agreement that would have allowed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged 9/11 mastermind, to plead guilty. The deal stipulated life sentences without parole for Mohammed and co-defendants in exchange for answering questions from victims' families. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin rejected the deal, asserting that such significant decisions should be made at the highest levels. The appeals court found Austin acted within his authority to invalidate the previous agreement, prolonging the judicial process concerning the 9/11 attacks.
A divided federal appeals court has thrown out an agreement allowing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to plead guilty, sparing him from the risk of execution for the 9/11 attacks.
The decision signals there will be no quick end to the U.S. military's long struggle to bring to justice the man charged with planning one of the deadliest attacks in U.S. history.
The deal, negotiated over two years, would have given life sentences without parole to Mohammed and two co-defendants, obligating them to answer questions from victims' families.
Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin repudiated the deal, asserting that decisions regarding the death penalty for the September 11 attacks should be made by the defense secretary.
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