Supreme Court turns away appeal from alleged 9/11 mastermind
The Supreme Court rejected appeals from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two alleged accomplices to reinstate plea agreements with military prosecutors. The deals would have spared Mohammed the risk of execution in exchange for a guilty plea and life in prison without parole. A Pentagon official approved the deals in late July 2024. Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin nullified them two days later. A military judge ruled that Austin’s withdrawal came too late because the defendants had already begun performance. A unanimous panel of military appellate judges upheld that decision. A divided panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision, finding Austin acted within his legal authority. The government's withdrawal of the plea deals remains in place. The Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from the three men without explanation. Justice Brett Kavanaugh recused himself from the cases involving Mohammed and Mustafa al-Hawsawi.
By News Desk ·