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Death Penalty Requested For Seal Beach Shooting Suspect

Paige Brettingen |
October 14, 2011 | 4:56 p.m. PDT

Executive Producer

Orange County district attorney's office (Creative Commons)
Orange County district attorney's office (Creative Commons)
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas requested the death penalty for the suspected gunman of the hair salon shooting in Seal Beach, Calif. that killed eight people on Wednesday, according to the LA Times.

Rackauckas also gave his opinion as to what he thinks the response will be from the suspect's attorney.

"I won't be surprised if we get an insanity plea," said Rackauckas to the LA Times.

The suspected gunman, Scott Dekraai, was in the middle of a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, Michelle, over their 8-year-old son.  Michelle Dekraai was an employee at the hair salon and one of the victims killed.

Robert Curtis, Dekraai's attorney, requested anti-psychotic medication for Dekraai.

According to the LA Times:

Dekraai's doctor has diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a tugboat accident in 2007, in which a fellow deckhand was killed and he suffered a serious leg injury, according to court records.

Dekraii faces the death penalty for eight counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. 

Some emotional family members left the court hearing Friday afternoon calling the alleged gunman a "coward" and shouting "I hate you," as they left, said the LA Times.

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