A former University of Illinois graduate student accused of kidnapping a visiting scholar from China could face the death penalty after new charges were filed Tuesday. Brendt Christensen, 28, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of kidnapping resulting in the death of Yingying Zhang, 26. The indictment returned by a federal grand jury, also charged Christensen with two counts of making false statements to the FBI. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will decide whether to seek the death penalty for Christensen on the kidnapping charge, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois. If the death penalty is not sought, a conviction on the kidnapping count calls for a mandatory sentence of life without parole.

Source: Fox News October 04, 2017 01:52 UTC