Sept. 11 families group leader cheers restoration of death penalty option in 9-11 prosecutions

Associated Press

The head of a group of family members of victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks says she’s hearing nearly unanimous praise of the U.S. defense secretary’s nullification of plea deals for the accused mastermind and two others. Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union says it will sue to reverse the secretary’s move. Terry Strada is national chair of the group 9/11 Families United. Strada said Saturday that she was shocked by the announcement late Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was rejecting a plea deal reached just days ago and was restoring the death penalty as an option in the cases. But she quickly added that it was the right thing to do.