(CN) – The Olathe, Kansas man who pleaded guilty to state charges of killing an Indian national and wounding two others last year may possibly plead guilty to a federal hate crime.
Adam Purinton, 52, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in March, over a year after Kuchibhotla was shot multiple times in an Olathe bar where he was watching college basketball with his Garmin coworker Alok Madasani. Purinton also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Madasani and bystander Ian Grillot.
Purinton filed a change of plea notice in federal court in Kansas City, Kan. Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear in federal court May 21.
The federal prosecutors in the case claim that Purinton singled out Kuchibhotla and Madasani due to their race. If convicted of a federal hate crime, Purinton could face the death penalty.
According to court records, witnesses said Purinton yelled “Get out of my country,” before he shot the two Garmin engineers. Bystander Ian Grillot was shot when he tried to chase after Purinton after he fled from the bar.
The case drew national attention as former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton asked President Donald Trump to speak out about hate crimes. Trump later mentioned the shooting in his first State of the Union address.
Purinton is scheduled for sentencing on May 4 in Johnson County District Court for the state charges. Although he made a plea deal with county prosecutors, the details of that deal remain unknown.
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