U.S. will not seek death penalty against Benghazi attack suspect

[May 11, 2016]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in the case against Abu Khatallah, the man charged in the 2012 attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, according to court documents filed Tuesday.

The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames during a protest by an armed group said to have been protesting a film being produced in the United States September 11, 2012. REUTERS/Esam Al-Fetori

Khatallah was captured in 2014 and brought to the United States for trial in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Justice Department spokeswoman Emily Pierce said Attorney General Loretta Lynch made the decision.

"The department is committed to ensuring that the defendant is held accountable for his alleged role," Pierce said. "If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to life in prison."

(Reporting by Julia Edwards; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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