Pittsburgh synagogue shooting: Attacker could face death penalty in trial

A 50-year-old man accused of killing 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh on October 27, 2018, could face the death penalty if found guilty in a federal trial that opened on Tuesday (May 30). According to a report by the news agency Reuters, Robert Bowers is on trial on dozens of federal charges, including 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, over the mass shooting that unfolded at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. He pleaded not guilty.

On Tuesday, federal prosecutors and Bowers' lawyers were scheduled to deliver opening statements to jurors. The trial at the US District Court in western Pennsylvania is expected to take weeks to complete.

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What happened on October 27?

On October 27, 2018, Bowers moved methodically through the synagogue, shooting everyone he could find, killing 11 worshippers and seven others in the deadliest antisemitic attack in the history of the United States. The police shot him three times before he surrendered.

On Tuesday, his lead lawyer Judy Clarke said Bowers “shot every person he saw”, but questioned whether the 50-year-old acted out of hatred, as prosecutors contend, or an irrational belief that he needed to kill Jews to save others from the genocide he claimed they were enabling by helping immigrants come to the US.

“He had what to us is this unthinkable, nonsensical, irrational thought: that by killing Jews, he would attain his goal,” Clarke said, the news agency Associated Press reported.

"There is no making sense of this senseless act Mr Bowers caused extraordinary harm to many, many people," she added.

In court filings, his lawyers have repeatedly tried to get the court to strike the death penalty as a sentencing option, calling it unconstitutional because he suffers from major mental illness, including schizophrenia.

The prosecutors, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that the attacker made incriminating statements to investigators and left an online trail of antisemitic statements that they say shows the attack was motivated by religious hatred.

Bowers harboured deep animosity towards Jewish people: Prosecutors

In a court filing earlier this year, prosecutors said Bowers “harboured deep, murderous animosity towards all Jewish people.” He also hated the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)- a non-profit humanitarian group that helps refugees and asylum seekers. The prosecutors said Bowers had nearly 400 followers on his Gab social media account “to whom he promoted his antisemitic views and calls forviolence against Jews.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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