Death Penalty Upheld for Beltway Sniper

The Virginia Supreme Court has upheld John Allen Muhammad’s capital murder convictions and death penalty for his involvement in the October 2002 D.C.-area sniper shootings.

Muhammad, along with his teen accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, was found to be responsible for a shooting spree over a three-week period in 2002 that included 10 killings. Muhammad was convicted of two counts of capital murder for the death of Dean Harold Meyers in Prince William County.

Lawyers representing Muhammad argued he should not receive the death penalty under Virginia law because he was not the triggerman. Although Malvo fired the gun, the court ruled that Muhammad’s significant involvement in the victims’ deaths warranted the death penalty.

Malvo is serving life in prison without parole for killing two people during the shooting spree.