Washington, D.C. — A major court decision this week has canceled a deal that would have allowed one of the main suspects behind the 9/11 attacks to avoid the death penalty. This means that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man accused of planning the 2001 terrorist attacks, could now face a full trial instead of a life sentence plea.
What Was the Deal?
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other men had agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison. The deal also required them to give information to the families of 9/11 victims. Some families hoped this would finally bring answers and end a legal process that has dragged on for more than 20 years.
But in 2024, then–Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stopped the deal. He said only the Defense Secretary should be able to approve any case that takes the death penalty off the table. That decision led to a legal battle over whether the plea deal was still valid.
What the Court Decided
On July 11, 2025, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the plea deal could not go forward. Two of the three judges agreed that the Defense Department had the right to block the deal. They said that because the 9/11 attacks were so serious, the public deserved a proper trial, not a private deal.
One judge disagreed. He said the military judge had already approved the plea and that the process was being ignored.
How Victims’ Families Are Reacting
People who lost loved ones on 9/11 had different feelings about the court’s decision.
Brett Eagleson, whose father died in the World Trade Center, said he was glad the deal was canceled. He believes the families deserve to hear the full truth in court, not behind closed doors.
Others, like Elizabeth Miller, who lost her firefighter father that day, felt disappointed. She said the plea deal might have brought faster answers. With the trial now back on track, she fears more delays and pain.
What Happens Next?
Now that the plea deal is gone, the three suspects may face the death penalty again. A full military trial will likely be held at Guantanamo Bay, but no date has been set. Legal experts say the process could still take years due to the case’s complexity and the large amount of secret information involved.
Defense lawyers may also appeal to the Supreme Court, hoping to bring the deal back.
Why It Matters
This case is one of the longest-running legal cases in U.S. history. The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people, and many families are still waiting for justice.
This new court decision means there is no quick end in sight. But for many, the hope is that a public trial will finally show the full story of what happened—and who was responsible.
